On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

This was a great and quick read. 

This story is a story of an immigrant living and retelling the stories of the immigrants before him such as his mom and grandma.

Beautifully written. Loved the portrayal of color. In the beginning of the book, the narrator describes colors to inanimate objects/feelings. As he grows older, other people begin to see him as his own skin color, hence they began to project their understanding of color on to him. Suddenly, color no longer describes an object/feeling but it becomes a weapon that divides people. Color becomes a tool that allows him to be put into a box before ever having the opportunity to give others a chance to know him. Color becomes his identity, as well as the identity of everyone around him. It’s also interesting how trauma affects not only those who lived through traumatic experiences, but also their children who will end up growing up with that trauma.

The book has many themes including:
• Race
• Growing up as an American
• Growing up with different cultural identities
• Self Identity/Self Discovery
• Generational Trauma
• Inherited Trauma
•Post war affects
• Growing up bi racial
• Complex parental relationships
• Immigrants
•Immigrants (due to war)
•LGBT