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

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This novel was absolutely stunning. Told in the format of a letter written from a son to a mother, it weaves through time, meandering through the boy’s past and present and roaming through the time before he was born through the stories told by his mother and grandmother. 
 
All the characters are lovable, though flawed, with filled out backstories and motivations - A boy growing up trying to find his identity. A mother who moves to America but cannot speak English. A grandmother with schizophrenia who isn’t quite sure where she is in the present, but tells beautiful, spiraling stories about the past. 
 
This book is poetic, but accessible, and it could easily be read in one day if you have the time. This is definitely a story I will be recommending time and time again.
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