mbcarroll 's review for:

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

4.5

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

So beautifully written! These characters will stay with me for a long, long time. I’d give it 4.5 stars. 

---

Content Warnings

I didn’t care for the ending where Hai’s future is left to our imaginations…I also don’t understand the next to the last paragraph about the hogs followed by the statement about people who live only once. Hopefully this was Hai realizing he has this one precious life and he’ll make the choice to get the help he needs and save himself. I think it should have ended with the paragraph: “Nothing, Mommy, he whispered in English, an insane beam of love for the world lancing through him. “I was just drifting.” To me that would have been the perfect ending.