thedorarn 's review for:

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

4.0

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I’m crying screaming throwing up after this. I feel like I need to sit with what I just read. It’s filled with grief, loss, intergenerational trauma, disability, and every condition that people growing up poor to working class understand. It’s the struggle to survive under conditions that make it hard to even breathe let alone think. But in spite of that we create life, make connections, and love as best we can. We find ways to care for each other as imperfectly as that means. My heart feels heavy.