The Emperor of Gladness: A Novel

I was really excited to read this book after hearing such great things about Ocean Vuong. Maybe it’s just me, but I found myself underwhelmed overall. As someone who values intergenerational relationships, the friendship between Hai and Grazina was the highlight of the story. Grazina made me laugh and reflect on my own connections with elders who’ve lived a little longer. I also appreciated how the book centered chosen family—the deep bonds between Hai, Grazina, and even his coworkers reminded me how vital community is and how love often extends beyond bloodlines. That said, the story often felt spacey and hard to follow, which made it difficult to stay connected. Still, I appreciated the real-world elements, like Hai’s job at the restaurant and the way Vuong captured the struggle of working low-paying jobs just to get by. The book sheds light on how survival sometimes forces people to set aside their dreams—and how, in that grind, people and passions can fade into the background. Vuong also touches on how economic instability, addiction, and the need to “keep up appearances” shape our choices. Those themes feel especially relevant today, when authenticity often seems overshadowed by greed, social media “likes,” and the illusion of status. In the end, The Emperor of Gladness made me think deeply about survival, community, and truth—even if the storytelling didn’t fully draw me in.

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What’s it about?

Hai is nineteen-years-old when he decides to jump off a bridge. But then he hears someone calling to him. Grazina is an elderly widow from Lithuania (with dementia) who lives alone on an abandoned street near the river. She brings Hai home with her, and they form an alliance. Each is relying on pills to keep going. Hai gets a job at a local fast food chain where he adds to his chosen family.

What did it make me think about?

How sad can one book be?

Should I read it?

So, I should premise my review with the fact that for the last ten days, I have had family visiting, so I have been picking this book up and putting it down frequently. I think that influences how much I enjoy a book. So many people have loved this book that I wonder about my indifference to this story. So, take this review with a grain of salt….

I genuinely admire Ocean Vuong’s writing abilities. His prose is beautiful, sometimes so beautiful that you linger over the words. He captures Hai’s immigrant experience, giving us a glimpse into how easily his future can slip away. He has created interesting characters, and I always love a novel about the families we choose. I also liked how often kindness is shown throughout this story, but I still didn’t love the book. In fact, I did not like it. It was just hard for me to read more than 10 pages without nodding off. I did admire the book- but sometimes that is not enough….

If you are a reader who loves beautiful prose, then pick this one up.

Quote-

” ‘You’re just clinically depressed,’ he heard himself say. ‘Means you’re sad without a reason.’ Her forehead wrinkled at the idea. ‘No, I didn’t outlive Stalin to be depressed.’ She shook her head defiantly. ‘You kids want to blame everything on feelings.’ ”

“You lose the dead as the earth takes them, but the living you still have a say in.”

Ocean Vuong is an artistic writer that is for sure. His book flows like poetry and his wording is filled with imaginitive descriptions of the metaphysical. The plot was not something life altering to be honest. As the book sketches out the picture of a small railway town forgotten to man, the plot almost follows in suit. It is nothing special. You would probably miss it unless you were actively looking for it. But I think there lies the beauty of this novel. In its simplicity, it really captured the human experience. Grazina really resonated with me. I felt her depth, labor, and casual acts of kindness. The book is filled with beautiful quotes that resonate wisdom and beauty. The message I recieved through Hai's relationship to Sony, Grazina, his mom, and all the rest of the characters Hai plays a part in; is that kindness prevails always. Even when it is suggestable and mildly suspicious, the innocent intent to offer ease for the other character has a ray of warmth to it. I gave it three stars because sometimes the plot withered and if you are not in the right mindset to accept the beautiful message it carried, it can be difficult to pick up again.

A little hard to get started but a beautiful story about love, family, relationships, and redemption based loosely on the author’s life.

Such a beautifully written story about two strangers who save one another. I love how he writes, as his words are so poetic, and pulls out feelings about a moment I never would have expected.