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#ToB26 #15

I hadn‘t expect to bail on this one since I enjoyed Vuongs debut novel, but there‘s that. This one too is well written but to me it was rather boring. Drugs and poverty are often a recipe for a repetitive story and unfortunately this story is no exception. I didn‘t care enough to finish it. I have to admit audio didn‘t help either, my mind kept drifting off.

Whew, this book. I loved it. Found families, stories we tell ourselves and others, caregiving, and work are all things I love in a book. #TournamentofBooks2026 long list #ReadingUSA Connecticut

A hauntingly sad novel about poverty and mental illness that ultimately ends hopeful through a group of misfits forming a sort of family. The writing is as beautiful as Vuong's other books, but the characters' lives were so hard that at times it was difficult to read.

I was eager to read The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong, but it left me a bit underwhelmed. Still, Hai and Grazina‘s friendship moved me—themes of chosen family, survival, and authenticity stood out, even when the story felt distant and hard to follow.
Full review here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQciXXoEgTX/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

I got a signed copy!! Yippee!! 🥳

Thanks Barnes and Noble.

Vuong‘s prose is vivid and heartbreaking and full of longing. His main character Hai wants love and family and meaning, and he finds it in an unexpected friendship with an elderly woman with growing dementia. They save each other and find a home with each other for a time when they are both in crisis. And he also finds connection within his small, wildly diverse crew at the chicken restaurant where he works. It is just a beautiful book.

That's why they stay.

The first line of The Emperor of Gladness hits — it's one of those opening quotes that feel both original and very familiar. It made me think about how, across all of literature, there are only so many ways to express the human experience.

Vuong is an exceptional writer, and the connection between these two characters is interesting. Parts didn‘t sit well for me, but that‘s because of my experience with dementia not the storyline. Good book, lots to think about, yet some parts unresolved and unbelievable. Overall, good novel.

What a stunner. I loved this (and as a latecomer to Vuong am resisting the urge to just launch right into his memoir!). So much to praise here - of course the writing, incredible characters, and a fantastic setting. I especially loved everything about the restaurant where Hai worked - certainly the found family aspect, but all else, too, including the industrial food details (maybe because my first job was in small-town fast food?).

I would not be at all surprised if this wins the Pulitzer next year. Clever, emotional, full of literary and pop culture references and quirky characters, it's the death of dreams and the endurance of friendship. It gave me a lump in my throat but also, at one point, made me laugh until I had tears in my eyes. It would have been a five star read except for the ending.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘m a sucker for second chances and found family. Hai is struggling, and will grab your heart tight. Flawed, lovable, relatable. Vuong‘s writing is so gorgeous and all encompassing. Life‘s constant battle of good versus evil is a recurring thread asking you to consider this for yourself; whether you view it as perceived or true. And the nod to Slaughterhouse-Five, one of my favorite novels, was an extra chef‘s kiss for me. Brilliant!

Loving this…❤️❤️❤️

A little sad to say that I loved hearing him TALK about this book so much more than I loved reading it. His strongest voice may be 1st person confessional, as in the poetry & in Briefly Gorgeous? This experiment in 3rd person “traditional“ novel structure feels a little clunky. Mostly, I‘m jealous of his NYU students & would love to take his class. 2025

5 “They could be statues for what it means to wait for a boy to crush himself into manhood.”

Oh this is exciting!!