book review: on earth we're briefly gorgeous

Chaitna Deshmukh, Reporter

Entertainment & Culture

Photo provided by Sam Contis.

CW: Domestic violence, sexual content, sexual assault, drug use, homophobia, racism, and animal abuse.

The novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong is a beautifully written exploration of a young man’s struggle with identity, family, and tragedy. At times, Vuong’s writing is painfully raw, baring emotions in both the characters and the reader. Although not autobiographical, Vuong’s story mirrors his own life, following a Vietnamese American boy named Little Dog from childhood to young adulthood. The novel is written as a long, non-linear letter to Little Dog’s illiterate mother, Rose. Intersectional themes such as the experiences of queer and Asian American identities are explored alongside complex relationships between parents and children. Mature themes also include the opioid crisis in America and the lasting effects of war and trauma on families. Although the story is centered around Little Dog, the reader learns about his mother, Rose, and grandmother Lan. Vuong thoroughly describes their experiences with war, violence, racism, and prostitution in Vietnam.

While On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is not a true story, the events of the novel, both beautiful and horrible, speak true to the lives of real people. The novel’s strength was clearly the way it explored humanity and the complex relationships therein in a brutally honest, daring, and morally gray way that is rarely seen in novels. However, the resulting explicit and graphic nature of the book may be off-putting to some readers. Additionally, the author’s narration in this novel often felt like a stream-of-consciousness, the language more like poetry than prose. This is unsurprising, considering that before writing the novel, Vuong had published a poem of the same name, but the stylistic choice may profoundly impact the reading experience, depending on whether the reader minds a less than strict grammatical structure. Overall, Vuong’s incredible and honest portrayal of Little Dog’s journey and humanity makes it an excellent pick for readers interested in biographies and realistic fiction.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Kamiak High School or The Gauntlet.

Sources

Vuong, Ocean. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel. Penguin Books, 2019.