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

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I had heard nothing but rave reviews of this book prior to reading it, and it truly deserves it! It’s a work of art, although it’s not a new favorite of mine.

Ocean Vuong is a poet, and it shows clearly in this debut novel. It is filled to the brim with flowery writing and metaphors, and every sentence has clearly been crafted with the utmost care! I love beautiful writing, and some passages gave me full-body chills. That being said, it did get a little too much for my liking at times, as some paragraphs were teetering on the edge of being incomprehensible.

I loved the topics explored in this story, and Vuong’s personal inspiration in this story makes it even more hard hitting. The book is deeply rooted in reality, with many references to real people and events, and this really helped emphasize the reality of the horrible situations depicted.

While I enjoyed the book, and found the format interesting, I personally prefer more structured narratives, where this felt more like a series of interconnected essays. But even though I didn’t fully love it, I still very highly recommend this novel!
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