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

dark reflective sad

5.0

When does a war end? When can I say your name and have it mean only your name and not what you left behind?

really grateful i was finally able to work up the courage to read this after having bought the novel so many years ago. i lost count of the amount of times i had to put it down and take a break from it to pace around my room. vuong toes the line between reality and reverie (because fantasy seems like the wrong word in his case) in a way that i would envy were it not for how devastating it is. to be the kind of person that can write this, especially knowing that the recipient can never read it, takes a willingness that i hardly think i have the guts to do. that sort of bravery is something i can only read about.