2.26k reviews for:

The Emperor of Gladness

Ocean Vuong

4.26 AVERAGE

aimeepauls99's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny 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: Yes

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we should be so lucky to live at the same time as ocean vuong’s work is being published. this generation’s great american novel. 

mc07's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

pam_mc's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

vasouz's review against another edition

4.75

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

scott_patrick's review against another edition

5.0

emotional 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: Yes

mad425's review against another edition

4.0

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I know a lot of people felt that this novel was more grounded (compared to On Earth) but I personally missed the poetic and unconventional elements of his first book. Still an amazing read; deeply real and complex characters, and a beautiful story.

giselleve's review against another edition

2.75

dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt

supershaniii's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious 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: Yes

ellen1's review

4.5

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

andrewwwwww's review

5.0

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes