On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous | Book Review

A rather reactionary review !
Here’s that Interview Mag article I mention both briefly and gorgeously: www.interviewm...

[@khanhdoattitude]

I don't think Ocean intended this book for gay Asian American men to relate to or to educate the public. He's simply turning his experience into a novel that is poetic and beautiful. Being a Vietnamese refugee living with women who were born in the war and who carry trauma with them is a very different experience than, say, being a Chinese American whose great parents migrated to the States for work. I'm glad that Ocean stayed true to himself and didn't bear the responsibility to represent any group but only himself. I think part of your frustration with the book may come from the feeling that you couldn't resonate with it as much as you might have expected to. I think the letter format was refreshing and his poetic prose left me wanting more. I hope one day you will give this book a second chance.

[@whatpageareyouon]

I agree-I think it’s unfair to assume his work has to deliberately engage or relate to other gay Asian Americans. While I think his navigation of this story was a bit clumsy, and that I think his poems are more effective for me, his passion in his prose is undeniable!

[@anjalixg]

i agree with all your points!!! ocean vuong wrote poetry before this and i guess that’s why there’s so much of a poetry feel to this novel. that is lovely in some ways, but it’s also a bit frustrating in other ways. i started feeling almost exhausted after some time because of how hard my brain had to work to understand each and every sentence and i had to take a break, even though the story itself was gripping. but some of the quotes from this book, oh my god!!!

[@whatpageareyouon]

thank you! Have you heard about Vuong's new work coming out? I don't know if it's a novel or another collection of poetry but I'm curious what people will make of it if it's another novel as Briefly Gorgeous felt like a cumulation of manifesting Vuong's poetry in the form of a novel. I'm looking forward to whatever it is regardless!

[@anjalixg]

@@whatpageareyouon i followed them on instagram right after finishing this book. i didn’t know about any new releases tbh…but i really wanna read whatever it is!

[@venticoldbrewser5593]

I feel validated by this review. I watched lots of interviews of Ocean before reading the book, and I love his insights. But the novel just didn't meet my expectations. I don't read much poetry, so I'm hoping Ocean does write a memoir and/or essays eventually.

[@ydalir]

Alex, you are probably one of the most thoughtful and thorough book reviewers on this site. I always look forward to hearing you speak about the books you are reading. Have not read the book yet, but when I do begin navigating the novel, I will be trying to do so by engaging with the points you've made here. Thank you!!

[@whatpageareyouon]

Brixton thank you! I’d love to know what you think of it when you get around to it. I just watched your video on your channel, I love to know another Woolf fan!

[@ydalir]

@@whatpageareyouon Oh, whoops! It's meant to be hidden haha! But thank you!! Woolf is everything. Part of my holy literary trinity haha. Do you have a favourite work by her?

[@whatpageareyouon]

Brixton oh! Haha, well I’m glad I still got to watch it nonetheless! I love love love The Waves! Although I’ve only read To The Lighthouse (nearly takes the #1 spot! And the one I reread the most by her), Orlando, & Mrs Dalloway otherwise. I’ve also read her nonfiction collection Moments of Being (and did my thesis inspired by her articulation of “being vs. nonbeing”-so endearing to research) SO! I have a request: if you happen to have any recommendations for me with any of her other works?

[@ydalir]

whatpageareyouon Those are definitely the big ones! To The Lighthouse is also easily my second favourite. That was my first Woolf text and after that I just devoured the rest of her work. Honestly with these out of the way, I would feel comfortable recommending literally any other novel by Woolf. There is one text that receives almost zero attention from academics/in the classroom/in Woolf scholarship in general though (and still deserves ample attention) and that is her biography of Elizabeth Browning's cocker spaniel "Flush." I don't really know why it gets so little attention, but it is fantastic. Maybe you could think of it as Woolf trying to expand her practice and experimentations of stream of consciousness to the non-human realm. So maybe I'd direct you there just because the book needs more people talking about it. But if you are also interested in her non-fiction work, her two volume The Common Reader and also Granite and Rainbow are eeeexcellent. All three are collections of essays Woolf wrote on fiction, biography, literature, etc. Just three great compilations of her literary criticism essentially.

[@whatpageareyouon]

Brixton oh yeah Flush!! I remember when prowling for those beautiful™️ Vintage Classic editions of Woolf’s work I saw Flush’s cover and thought “is....this a dog????” So win-win for me! I’ll check Common Reader out as well, thank you ! 💫

[@sallyrenata1409]

I don’t think an artist has the obligation to write or paint for anyone but themselves. There were times when I wanted to skim through graphic parts, but the book wasn’t written for me. I believe it was written as a letter because that format is one best used to write through trauma. This book is brilliant and beautiful because Vuong unzipped his being and put it into words.

[@carolinex.a.5517]

This book was amazing to me. I do disagree, I think his relationship with his mother and his relationship with Trevor should have been both in the same book. They brought out the best in each other. Anyway, as an Asian, I truly appreciated how beautifully he portrayed life as a child in the diaspora. Tbh I really, really don’t think he should have killed off Trevor. The book would’ve been better if he’d stayed alive.

[@hasteyebooks]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I just read this last month and felt like I was alone where I thought this missed the mark in general. Like you said there are some beautiful moments and bits of writing, but it did get lost for me.

[@josmith5992]

I really appreciated the way you used your personal experience to review and critique this novel Alex. I haven't read the book and am still not sure I will but your review was excellent.

[@tomreadsthings7145]

I loved this book so much and it was great to hear you talking about it so eloquently

[@shawnbreathesbooks]

This was wonderful! Our dissatisfactions with the book overlap considerably, and I got quite a bit of clarity from watching this. Dan and I will be making a joint review in the coming days. Today I’m planning to re-read some of the chapters that I thought were just bloody awful, to see if they still strike me that way. Then maybe I will be ready to film. Thanks for this - I really enjoyed it!

[@whatpageareyouon]

Shawn The Book Maniac thanks Shawn. I will certainly be one of the first viewers of this joint review of yours and Dan’s, mark my words !

[@antoniosaavedra7806]

Very well rounded review. Since this is a comments sections, I just wanted to say a couple of my qualms regarding this novel just to see if anyone saw them differently. 1) I had a really hard time with the letter format. I think that was setting himself up for failure because no letter lasts the length of a novel, let alone broken up into three parts. I now understand that it was symbolic for Little Dog to write his thoughts to someone he loves and respects, but if Vuong wanted a letter format, I want an actual letter. It could’ve simple been a diary or journal with an introductory note saying it was left for his mother. 2) [spoiler-ish] the gay sex scene was really a slap in the face. The whole novel was written very poetical, but when you throw “cock” in the mix, it just drastically changes the tone. I understand that it is hard to write those sort of scenes eloquently, but consider the context. This is a letter meant for his mother. Even if he never intended for her to actually read it, the sex needed to be redacted. I know losing your virginity is a big deal to some people, but explicit play-by-plays didn’t enhance my reading experience. It takes a special kind of mother/son relationship to disclose intimate details like that and Vuong clearly wrote their relationship as not like that at all. All in all, it felt randomly placed to target the queer community in terms of sales. Even if it is semi-autobiographical, it’s marketed as a novel so the “cock” felt like it literally threw a bone out for the gays.

[@catherinelynch5825]

I liked the letter format like when you write a diary and address it like a letter and sign off because its easier to talk to someone rather than talking to a void even if they are never going to read it

[@marianryan2991]

Very compelling review. It's quite interesting to see different reviewers coming to the book from different perspectives and engaging with distinct elements of the novel and specific choices Vuong makes.

[@whatpageareyouon]

Marian Ryan as I anticipate more reviews will flow in for this book, I’m excited to get more insight away from my personal projections of it!

[@hendrapurbaya6778]

the book is so brilliant, beauty does not need any reason to exist! The book made me laugh, it made me cry, some pages literally made me pause because of his effective beautiful metaphors. His economy of the word use, everything is just so excellent. I have just found this book and he has won a new big fan in Indonesia, me. Ha ha

[@sonny5981]

As an Asian-American, and being gay here in America there are so many things in this book I could relate to. It's a bit scary, but yet familiar. I think it's a great book!

[@Giuchini26]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but....Do you think someone who doesn't relate to this book at all will like it? I'm not LGBTQ nor am I Asian but I still wanted to give it a try. I don't like over descriptive books though. I'm wondering if people liked this book so much due to the fact that they could relate to it more than that the writing style or story. I'm just on the fence about reading it, although it does seem like a beautiful book the way you and most people are reviewing it :)

[@whatpageareyouon]

Not dumb at all! I think this book is really inviting and readable for everyone, its prose wasn't my jam but I can see merit in it, and the writing is often what I hear cited as why people like this book especially. I hope you give it a shot!

[@annareads9181]

I've been waiting to watch this until I finished the book for myself, and I'm so glad I finally got around to this video because it definitely got me thinking. The similarity between Little Dog and Vuong was constantly on my mind throughout the entire novel, and I completely agree with your saying perhaps it would have worked better as a memoir. I think that would have made it more...trustworthy...? That's not exactly the right word, but whatever. Also, for me, I felt that the characterization was somewhat lacking. I really couldn't articulate anything about Trevor, the grandmother, or the mother without interpolating them as just accessories to little dog. Perhaps this was intentional considering the narrator is very self-involved (not in necessarily a negative way, just plainly), but even if it was, it wasn't a choice that I particularly liked. ANYWAY, my hot takes aside, I loved this video and I love the personal sentiment you freely expressed. I think a subjective review is not synonymous with a bad review by any means.

[@whatpageareyouon]

Anna Reads thank you Anna! I agree, particularly with Trevor, about this idea of him sort of accessorizing Little Dog’s experiences. Especially to me, understanding that Trevor is undergoing his own sexual liberation and exploration, I kept wondering how his own sense of identity to sexuality meshed with the sort of undercurrent of masculinity associated to Little Dog’s own definition of that separate from sexuality, especially in relation to work and labor. It all sort of reinforced to me that Vuong’s priority was about feeling™️ over feelings under circumstance, which is so weird because I did feel like he was honing on pretty ok-ly with the Asian American experience until it veers into more of the romantic. So basically! ! So many opportunities here that hopefully he’ll do in memoir, one day!

[@mygothicromance1624]

Awesome review. You articulate things I sensed as I read it but struggled to put into words. I agree this would work better as a memoir. I like the use of the word purple to describe the writing style of this book. Language was often the subject here, which detracted from the overall storytelling. Many lines would work better in a poem.

[@whatpageareyouon]

Thank you! I really hope Vuong chooses to explore more of what inspired this work through memoir some time in the future. I can imagine switching genres from poetry to complete prose can be like learning how to ride a bike all over again, maybe

[@JasmineReads]

Ahhh I want to read this SO MUCH. SO MUCH. Its a shame you didn't find it to be too amazing! Also, you're a gorgeous reviewer💖

[@whatpageareyouon]

Please read it!! I love prowling articles and written reviews online of this book apart from booktube. 💘 And only next to you Jasmine !! 💘

[@boyputik813]

Hi Alex! I've been watching your channel since the beginning of the year. btw I'm from the Philippines!

[@whatpageareyouon]

Blood On The Tracks hello! Good to have a fellow Filipino in the crowd! Thanks for watching 💫

[@parthapdebnath]

Like few of the comments that i have read, this book is really tough to comprehend... Idk why😅

[@JuanReads]

Great video, Alex. So insightful and personal in the best possible way. I keep seeing this book around but I had no idea what it was about. Now I have a good idea about it.

[@whatpageareyouon]

Bookish Islander thank you Juan 💫 I was unsure to post this one or not given its enforcing subjectivity

i really loved your review even if i came out of the book with a completely different outlook, although i agree i think it would work much much better as a fully autobiographical work or maybe that's just my nosy self ;) i'm really struggling to review this book because i loved it A Lot, but it may also be because i was already quite familiar with Vuong's previous works. i mean i loved reading again about Trevor and discovering him in a new medium! i also agree that the first part is the weakest, and it's true, at times it feels a bit unfocused, but not in a way that frustrated me. I think had it been more focused, it would have truly worked as a coming of age novel, because the tropes are There, but it just doesn't quite fit because the narrative lacks a bit more structure and conclusion. i guess i was so eager to like it that i let myself be carried and it worked

[@MsTranthihai71]

KZbin Music will completely replace Google Podcasts from June 13, 2024. KZbin Music is much more convenient than KZbin as screen-off mode is available and listeners can opt to do other things either on the phone or not. Could you please make your channel available on KZbin Music as well? Thanks 💖

[@RKGold]

Ive never heard of this book but interesting review

[@haroldniver]

I’m white and heterosexual but your review has made me want to read the book. I wanted to read it already, but this video made me press the order button, even though you didn’t seem to love it. Thanks for what you do.

[@whatpageareyouon]

Thank you for watching! Individual reviews like this one is my favorite part of curating this channel. I hope you find the book worthwhile

[@alldbooks9165]

I haven’t read this one yet, but I found your discussion of it very interesting.

[@RickMacDonnell]

You say you belittle your own experiences, perhaps subconsciously. Do you have any idea why? If that's too personal a question, please ignore :P I was just fascinated by that comment. (P.S. This video was fantastic, as always.)

[@whatpageareyouon]

Another Book Vlog not at all! This book reminded me how when I was younger I’d have conscious moments where I’d realize my experiences weren’t entirely on the same wavelength as my classmates since growing up with my mom and her own cultural context for child rearing. This sort of accidentally followed to where I’d keep accidentally be in a state of constant adapting to experiences while compensating how I understood creating a balance between having to explain a lot of American life to my mom while sort of, in turn, defend my own developing personality in a way. It wasn’t until recently that my friends sometimes comment that I seem to keep having this troublesome adapting quality as a way to gatekeep me from recognizing my own accomplishments/achievements/experiences but doing what I can !! (Thanks for the kind words, Rick!)

[@RickMacDonnell]

@@whatpageareyouon Sounds like a complicated balancing act, actually. Do you find you're getting any better at it as you get older?

[@whatpageareyouon]

Another Book Vlog I’d say so! Reading has actually helped a lot since I use it so often as a form of self-reflection. Although.......summer isn’t helping, it puts me in such a lull!! And lethargy!!

[@RickMacDonnell]

@@whatpageareyouon I know what you mean. I actively try to combat the lethargy by walking while I'm reading. Luckily I live in a quiet neighborhood.

[@larryaleshire4907]

sounds like more writers need to write about their gay asian American experiences.. Alex? go for it.

[@neenah7376]

A great discussion!!!

[@maryoary3195]

Well done!

[@charlienonya7016]

You have a creepy and calming voice

[@mariegomez9886]

Incredible & thoughtful review. I agree w you.

[@howiecd3861]

lol, maybe find glasses that fit?

[@swantonist]

don’t be an ass

[@ryancasarez-merrell4991]

You’re entitled to your wrong opinion lol