On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

 On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

by Ocean Vuong

One thing is for certain: poets are amazing fiction writers. Although, I think On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous might be classified as autofiction.

This is a coming of age novel following Little Dog, born in Vietnam and living in Hartford, Connecticut with his mentally ill mother and grandmother. It chronicles Little Dog's growth from a young boy in an abusive environment to his teenage years where he comes out, has his first romantic/sexual experiences with a farm boy, and learns the power of words through writing.

The story is told as a letter from Little Dog to his illiterate mother who will likely never be able to read it. In this letter, he recounts various scenes from his life with her (Hong, or Rose) and his grandmother, Lan. Lan (a schizophrenic) had worked as a sex worker during the Vietnam War and gave birth to Rose, whose school was raided when she was a little girl. The letter is meant to be a catharsis for Little Dog, a way for him to talk about the abuses he suffered at the hands of his mother, who suffers from PTSD as a result of the war. It also recounts how he suffered at the hands of various bullies as a small child, new in the United States and unable to speak English. As he grows up he gets a job working on a tobacco farm where he meets Trevor, a drug addicted working class youth who lives with his depressed father in a trailer. Trevor helps Little Dog to find some comfort in his harsh world, but it's through letters and writing that he comes to truly free himself from it all. To find meaning.

Vuong recounts the immigrant experience for his mother working in a nail salon and the long days she endured with the harsh chemicals of the trade. He discusses the reality of living an American life and what it takes to become American for an immigrant, especially those who must come up from the slums of urban decay. This is a book about how free we can truly be, it is about beauty, suffering, and survival; what we do to make it through this life where we are only ever gorgeous for a short time. There is beauty to be found in the aftermath of violence and it is through words than Vuong finds it.

This was such beautiful and honest writing. Poetic and shattering at the same time. Vuong holds nothing back from the reader; all of the ugly realities of life, love, and sex are on full view here. This is a coming of age story, a coming out story, and a grasp at salvation. I give On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous 5 stars.