📚 One tear-jerker coming right up. Vietnamese-American poet, writer, and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous author Ocean Vuong has mastered the art of writing in a manner so few can claim to have done. Vuong knows how to draw you in, keep you guessing, and strike when you least expect it. His debut novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous proved as much, and his second novel, The Emperor of Gladness, proves his first wasn’t just a lucky shot.

The emperor. In The Emperor of Gladness, we follow Hai, a 19-year old Vietnamese-American boy. Hai seems to have lost all hope in life, and we first meet him as he contemplates ending it all. When fate — manifested in the form of an 80-year-old Lithuanian woman called Grazina— stops him from making the jump, Hai wonders if perhaps there’s a way to turn his life around. After moving in with Grazina, Hai begins reflecting on his life, his dreams, what once was, and what may still be.

Fast food, slow read. As the 19-year old finds a job in a restaurant in his wreck of a small town — East Gladness — our cast of characters begins to make themselves known. This isn’t your average novel, however.

If you’re familiar with Ocean Vuong, you’ll know what’s coming. If you’re not, brace yourself. The Emperor of Gladness is quite different from Vuong’s debut — which was written in the form of a series of letters from son to illiterate mother. Yet, certain themes and glaring similarities persist. While the novel itself is not based on a true story, it draws heavily from Vuong’s own life. If you’ve read Vuong’s previous works, you’ll likely be able to tell where the novel is headed — or at least, who Hai is as a character might not come as a surprise.

Yet, The Emperor of Gladness still proves unputdownable. The novel is character-driven, and is poetic in nature. As much can be discerned from the very first chapter — one dedicated entirely to describing the all-but-abandoned town in which the story unfolds. Yet here’s the thing about Vuong, no matter how many descriptors he may use, none of them are filler. You might begin a paragraph and wonder where it’s taking you, only to have your jaw drop by the end of it. The novel discusses substance abuse, depression, the struggles of immigrants, and what family truly means.

This is a slow read, and one you’ll have to savor. If you’re looking for a fast-paced plot-driven read, Vuong’s second novel might not be for you. However, if a slow reading session with a cup of coffee in hand in a quiet corner sounds like a good time, you won’t want to miss out on The Emperor of Gladness.

WHERE TO FIND IT– You can place a special order for The Emperor of Gladness at TheBookspot, or get the e-book from Amazon. Pro tip: Keep an eye out for it on Cherry Blossom Books.

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