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thenextgoodbook.com
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.’ ”
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.’ ”
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