Scan barcode
A review by superjesssica
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
”I am writing you from inside a body that used to be yours. Which is to say, I am writing as a son.”
A letter from a son to his mother who cannot read. A complex and compelling non-linear story about a Vietnamese family (the boy Little Dog, his mother and grandmother) living in Hartford. The letter follows the past, present and future of Little Dog and his family, with all the pain, love and care that life brings with it.
I cried until I got a headache reading this book. It is heavy, sad and beautiful all at once. The characters are deeply flawed (as people are) and their love isn’t always pretty. Ocean Vuong’s poetic prose is slow, thoughtful and haunting. One of my favorite reads ever.
A letter from a son to his mother who cannot read. A complex and compelling non-linear story about a Vietnamese family (the boy Little Dog, his mother and grandmother) living in Hartford. The letter follows the past, present and future of Little Dog and his family, with all the pain, love and care that life brings with it.
I cried until I got a headache reading this book. It is heavy, sad and beautiful all at once. The characters are deeply flawed (as people are) and their love isn’t always pretty. Ocean Vuong’s poetic prose is slow, thoughtful and haunting. One of my favorite reads ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and War