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A review by simranpradhan
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
5.0
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous • 4.5/5 ⭐ • YA, Contemporary
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A memoir in fiction, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is an epistolary novel- a letter written by a young Vietnamese American writer 'Little Dog' to his mother who cannot read. Circling racism, grief, generational trauma and young love, the novel is a beautiful concept of noticing your beauty in life from a the point of a story.
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I don't think there is anything to critique here. The hype around it was deserved, and it gave me exactly what I had hoped.
I think the most notable and remarkable thing about the book is the flow of poetry in the form of a story. I think, as a writer, I find solace in it- the lack of focus on the plot helps the writer what they wanted to do since they started writing- feel and express what they feel. Ocean Vuong blurred the lines between the two genres of poetry and prose, and I am here for all of it.
I think what's stopping me from giving it a full star rating is because as much I will reread the book, I don't think I will read it fully, only the parts that I find mesmerizing to think about. I guess the lack of focus on plot has its consequences for me.
It's definitely a book everyone should read at least once in their lifetime.
.
A memoir in fiction, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is an epistolary novel- a letter written by a young Vietnamese American writer 'Little Dog' to his mother who cannot read. Circling racism, grief, generational trauma and young love, the novel is a beautiful concept of noticing your beauty in life from a the point of a story.
.
I don't think there is anything to critique here. The hype around it was deserved, and it gave me exactly what I had hoped.
I think the most notable and remarkable thing about the book is the flow of poetry in the form of a story. I think, as a writer, I find solace in it- the lack of focus on the plot helps the writer what they wanted to do since they started writing- feel and express what they feel. Ocean Vuong blurred the lines between the two genres of poetry and prose, and I am here for all of it.
I think what's stopping me from giving it a full star rating is because as much I will reread the book, I don't think I will read it fully, only the parts that I find mesmerizing to think about. I guess the lack of focus on plot has its consequences for me.
It's definitely a book everyone should read at least once in their lifetime.