256 pages
English language
Published Oct. 29, 2020 by Penguin Random House.
Brilliant, heartbreaking and highly original, Ocean Vuong's debut novel is a shattering portrait of a family, and a testament to the redemptive power of storytelling.
This is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family's history that began before he was born. It tells of Vietnam, of the lasting impact of war, and of his family's struggle to forge a new future. And it serves as a doorway into parts of Little Dog's life his mother has never known - episodes of bewilderment, fear and passion - all the while moving closer to an unforgettable revelation.
Hard to follow and I found the imagery a mess. I kept waiting for the next chapter to tie it all together but for me it never seemed to. Every second it third paragraph was compelling enough for me to keep reading but I have no desire to continue.
Rating it 3/5 for the couple of laughs and tearful moments I felt actually hit and the point of view of a PoC that I haven't experienced.
