A review by paulawind
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

5.0

This was the most beautifully written book I’ve read in my life. Every word was a piece of art. I often caught myself rereading some sentences not because they were necessarily groundbreakingly profound but both poetic and hitting all the heartstrings.
I am an emigrant myself (though from much more fortunate circumstances) so I often related to what Little Dog was saying about the duality which develops in you - the link in your ancestral and new culture.
This book tackles many issues but the one which shines through most (or rather hangs on characters like an illness) is the intergenerational trauma and how it impacted every member of Little Dog’s family.

I cried so much reading this novel and yet it firmly places in top 5 (maybe even top 3) of my 2021 reads. 
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