REVIEW: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous (Ocean Vuong)

Book: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

Author: Ocean Vuong

My rating: 3.5/5.

Premise: This is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family's history that began before he was born. It tells of Vietnam, of the lasting impact of war, and of his family's struggle to forge a new future. And it serves as a doorway into parts of Little Dog's life his mother has never known - episodes of bewilderment, fear and passion - all the while moving closer to an unforgettable revelation.

[⚠️CW: PTSD, drug misuse, overdosing, war crimes, racism, homophobia, domestic abuse]

This book was gorgeous. You can tell that Ocean Vuong is a poet as his language and descriptions are stunning. Reading this book, you can't help but be surprised that this is a work of fiction as it is so raw. The story itself is overwhelmingly sad. Each character has their own internal struggle, whether its PTSD from the Vietnam war, or a struggle to accept their sexual identity. But there's a lot of love in this book, both familial and romantic. And that's what I loved about this book. How amongst all this hardship and grief, Ocean Vuong manages to find beauty and light. I will say that if you like a book to have a strong plot, this may not be for you as the story is more reflective and flows like poetry at times. But overall, a stunning novel.