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karina_dreamsinwords 's review for:
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
by Ocean Vuong
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
A truly stunning novel told in an epistolary format, chronicling a queer man's coming of age as a Vietnamese immigrant in America. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a deeply moving, poignant story that touches on themes such as addiction, immigration, and familial relationships.
"They have a pill for it. They have an industry. They make millions. Did you know people get rich off of sadness? I want to meet the millionaire of American sadness. I want to look him in the eye, shake his hand, and say, 'it's been an honor to serve my country."
Honestly there were so many lines in here that felt so raw and dealt such high emotional impact, I was left breathless. The author's ability to evoke so much depth, and urgency through his writing is impressive.
“Isn’t that the saddest thing in the world, Ma? A comma forced to be a period?”
Reading this felt like experiencing the very soul of Vuong himself. Such an incredible talent to have in the world of literature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse