On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous was on my list for quite some time, and when I finally got my hands on a copy, I could not put it down. Written in prose as a series of letters to the protagonist’s illiterate mother, Little Dog (the protagonist’s nickname), chronicles his life in tandem with those of his mother, Rose, and grandmother, Lan. They are all survivors of the Vietnam War and the culminating Fall of Saigon.
I think this book leaves a different impact on everyone who has read it. Resilient women raised Little Dog, but they were riddled with PTSD. This resounding effect of pain and trauma left Little Dog sometimes subject to abuse from his mother. The family — Little Dog, Rose, and Lan — arrived in the United States as refugees; with little English and money, they had to endure the often cruel and exclusionist tendencies of the American immigrant experience. And finally, Little Dog was gay, being “other” in a world that already marginalized people who didn't conform.
There are a variety of other elements and themes to this book, and I think there will be at least one thing that speaks to a reader in the profound manner that is author Ocean Vuong’s writing. For me, this book gave me a nuanced perspective of immigration, and I often thought of my own parents while reading. Although their circumstances were completely different from that of Little Dog’s family, I couldn’t help but develop an understanding to — albeit in a one-sided way — some of the experiences my parents may have gone through. That some of their characteristics and reactions that I find foreign are the direct products of assimilation and letting go of all familiarity.
It may not be guaranteed to discover these small revelations and subtle paradigm shifts like I was able to, but in my humble opinion, there is something about On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous that leaves one slightly changed after reading.
Review Written by Haelee, 12th Grade