'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous' by Ocean Vuong

This novel is written in the from of a letter, from the protagonist, Little Dog, to his mother, who cannot read English. He writes to her about the experiences he had growing up, including the struggles he faced due to his identity, both racially and sexually, and the struggles in his home life, which reflects on the brutal aftermath of the Vietnam War on his family members, who suffer from PTSD, as well as other relationships

“They say nothing lasts forever but they're just scared it will last longer than they can love it.”

I wanted nothing more than to love this debut novel from Ocean Vuong. I don't want to put off anyone from reading it either, because it was crafted beautifully. Every word felt like it had been agonised over to create the exact vision of the author. Personally, the poetic language made it hard to follow the story. It's structure is also quite fragmentary, which didn't help and I found myself not quite understanding what was happening, which was a shame because the story that I did gather was very interesting and important. At times, there were lots of words on the page for not very much actually going on. However, for anyone who loves poetry and highly metaphorical language, you may enjoy it a lot more!

Rating: 3/5

An Indepth Look: Spoilers!

It was very interesting to read a book that focused partly on the Vietnam War and its aftermath, as I haven't ever read one before. It is immediately clear in the book, when Little Dog's mother or grandmother have flashbacks, they are experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder because of the atrocities they have witnessed and been subjected to. While these events are never described outright, it is clear from the ongoing struggle with PTSD that Little Dog's family members face that war is never just over, but lives with the people whose lives it destroyed, let alone touched.

Race is also explored in the book from different perspectives. While Little Dog faces racism in some points of the novel, he also talks about his mother, whose father was a white American. He recalls how she was bullied in Vietnam for being too pale. It seems the point that Vuong was getting to is that if you are in any way different, you are othered and bullied for it, even if it is as simple as riding a pink bicycle as a boy.

(FYI I was struggling to follow in the first half of the novel, so if you have any thoughts, or think I've missed the point, please feel free to comment!)

Little Dog's relationship with Trevor stood out in the book for me for various reasons. It explored interesting an power dynamic, drug abuse and perceptions of what it means to be gay. It was quite sexually graphic in parts, which I'm not always a fan of in novels, but Vuong obviously believed it was important to portray the dynamic between Little Dog and Trevor. In the relationship, Little Dog seems to always be thinking about Trevor but hardly ever engaging with him, which makes sense that he becomes the submissive one out of the two. The more interesting aspect is Trevor's inability to take on this role because it makes him feel feminine. This might be Vuong's way of commenting on the typical American masculinity that he has witnessed. This point is furthered when Trevor tells Little Dog that he thinks he won't be gay in a few years. It is apparent that Trevor can't accept his sexual identity either, which may have a role in his drug abuse.

The drug abuse was really rather heartbreaking. When it was revealed that five of Little Dog's seven dead friends had overdosed, it really shocked me. Not because I'm unaware of the drug abuse that existed then and still does now, but just how explicitly it was written. No metaphorical language, just the plain facts laid bare. This worked really well because it demonstrated just how bleak this statement was. What was especially sad was how Trevor had been an addict since childhood because of a drug he was prescribed for a broken ankle. It is even more tragic to think his life would be dictated through his abuse of heroin and cocaine which continued to spiral out of control, until his death at 30. Drugs ruin people's lives, and not just the ones who die from it.

Overall, there were some incredibly powerful moments in the novel, but I would personally prefer it if it was written in a less poetic and more cohesive style. Although the style did fit with the fragmentary way people tend to think, it did make the novel hard to follow in places. However, Vuong did draw out emotions from me, which demonstrates that no matter how difficult the style may have been to read, it still had an impact on me, which ultimately demonstrates that the author's aim was achieved.

About the Author

Ocean Vuong's life draws many parallels with Little Dog, the protagonist of his novel. They are both Vietnamese-American, born in Vietnam but grew up in Hartford, Connecticut. He studied at Brooklyn College, City University of New York and graduated with a B.A. in English, subsequently earning a M.A. in Poetry from New York University. He is also known for his full-length collection of poetry The Night Sky With Exit Wounds. He practises Zen Buddhism and identifies as gay.