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

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous completely captured me from the very first page. I feel I could have gone through it in one sitting if it hadn't been for the dark topics it deals with, which made breaks to assimilate what I was reading necessary. The author opens a window (or rather, a wound) and bares his vital experience and family history for us to examine. Vuong does so with exquisite prose and no reservations, not once masking their ugly realities, and yet his words convey incredible tenderness and vulnerability. As a reader I often felt uncomfortable, choking back tears, unable to spill them.

My only critique is that the stark rendering of heartbreaking scenes and anecdotes was woven through with poetic digressions that sometimes felt empty of content to me. There were lines I would read over and over, incapable of understanding what they were supposed to mean. I guess one explanation could be the highly personal nature of this work and how removed my vital experience is from the author's. It didn't really take away from my enjoyment of this book though, Vuong's writing is that good.

A must read for people interested in themes of family, immigration and the queer experience in America, and maybe for those who are curious about poetry but perhaps don't dare venture into a full on poetry work yet.
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