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divinemistake's review against another edition
5.0
"And because I am your son, I said, 'Sorry.' Because I am your son, my apology had become, by then, an extension of myself. It was my Hello."
A very careful reminder that poetry, this language that I am so beautifully in love with, can be so ugly.
A very careful reminder that poetry, this language that I am so beautifully in love with, can be so ugly.
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Digital audiobook read by the author
3.5*** (rounded up)
A young Vietnamese man, now living in America, writes a letter to his mother who cannot read. In it he relates a short family history –his grandmother, mother and himself – and pours his heart out to the woman he calls both a mother and a monster. He tells of his grandmother Lan’s life as a sex worker during the Vietnam War, which resulted in her pregnancy. Her daughter, Rose, named for a flower, later gave birth to a son, whom they call “Little Dog” hoping to trick demon spirits who might otherwise harm a cherished child. They come to America full of hope, but meet with harsh reality: language barriers, poverty, and discrimination.
Vuong uses a nonlinear storyline but weaves an intricate tapestry from Vietnam to Connecticut, incorporating his thoughts on war, racism, drugs, love, and culture. The author is a poet, and this novel has the ethereal feel of poetry, with some passages so beautiful as to take my breath away, and others so raw with pain as to make me wince, even cringe.
Vuong narrates the audiobook himself. I cannot imagine anyone else doing a better job of it.
3.5*** (rounded up)
A young Vietnamese man, now living in America, writes a letter to his mother who cannot read. In it he relates a short family history –his grandmother, mother and himself – and pours his heart out to the woman he calls both a mother and a monster. He tells of his grandmother Lan’s life as a sex worker during the Vietnam War, which resulted in her pregnancy. Her daughter, Rose, named for a flower, later gave birth to a son, whom they call “Little Dog” hoping to trick demon spirits who might otherwise harm a cherished child. They come to America full of hope, but meet with harsh reality: language barriers, poverty, and discrimination.
Vuong uses a nonlinear storyline but weaves an intricate tapestry from Vietnam to Connecticut, incorporating his thoughts on war, racism, drugs, love, and culture. The author is a poet, and this novel has the ethereal feel of poetry, with some passages so beautiful as to take my breath away, and others so raw with pain as to make me wince, even cringe.
Vuong narrates the audiobook himself. I cannot imagine anyone else doing a better job of it.
kiroigt's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
jovtom's review against another edition
5.0
this book made me ugly cry.
i can't believe a human wrote this. one of the best books i've ever read and *the* most beautiful book i've ever read. the writing in this book... i can't count the number of times i cried or teared up. the pages are bursting with emotion and so was i. if i could invent another star for the writing, i would.
i can't believe a human wrote this. one of the best books i've ever read and *the* most beautiful book i've ever read. the writing in this book... i can't count the number of times i cried or teared up. the pages are bursting with emotion and so was i. if i could invent another star for the writing, i would.
mary_dreamy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
theglossreview's review against another edition
2.0
Way too sad! I read this novel within a few days, but only because I wanted to finish it as soon as possible and to see if I might redeem itself by pulling the story neatly together at the end. It is far from neat. As the narrator once states, it is more of a shipwreck than a story. It deserves a couple of stars for the writing and the themes, maybe 2 or 2.5 stars. But the plot is much too fragmented and, most of all, sad. Every event is overshadowed by crushing sadness. The title is misleading. I would have expected a message like “life is beautiful and must be appreciated because is it so short and precious”, but the lives of all the characters are miserable and cruel. If the title had been “On Earth We’re Briefly Tragic”, it would have been an appropriate warning. There is nothing in this book to feel good about. It is as if the beautiful, joyful, carefree, light, random moments had been filtered out to leave only the worst sides of life. Strangely, the narrator covers his story of the first 20 years of life in this way, but the “letter” was written when he was 28. All I can do is hope that his experiences were light, healing, and joyous in those 8 years.
milliei's review against another edition
3.0
Eh, not for me. Some quotes stand out to me and the whole prose is thought provoking - but I can’t avoid the fact that I found myself skimming through a lot and that it took me a few months to read a book that’s around 240 pages long.
ruby_gordon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Very lovely prose-like writing style and engaging overall. Subject matter was very gritty.