The Emperor of Gladness: Oprah's Book Club: A Novel

When Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous was published, the book club group I was facilitating at the time wondered if the author would be able to make the transition from poet to full-fledged novelist---because the first novel flew primarily on the wings of poetry. His second novel---The Emperor of Gladness--- does seem to lack the poetry of his first book. Nevertheless, it is poignant and powerful---and it is at its very best when the author explores the profound and touching relationship between the central protagonist Hai and the demented old woman Grazina. Grazina is, in fact, the glue that holds this book together. And yet, the novel's other characters who live in the fast-food world of Home Market, are just as significant in their own way and connect powerfully to the mood, tone and themes of the author's book. The novel does seem pretty dismal, and I was reminded again and again of its epigraph from Act 4, scene 3 of Hamlet: the true emperor of the world is the worm. "We fat ourselves for maggots." So, the world is a wasteland of sorts in which, in the end, the American Dream ends most logically in a nursing home or in a dumpster where we sit contemplating stars in the night sky that we can neither reach nor comprehend. Where is the beauty in our lives? "What good is beauty if nobody wins?" The lies we tell ourselves and one another. The delusions we use to cope with trauma, with the brutality of war and the senseless slaughter of humans and animals. The numbing realities of our existences. It is all pretty grim. But the writing is breathtaking, and many of the scenes in this novel are unforgettable and brilliant, including a pill-popping Hai (as "Sgt. Pepper") sitting in a bathtub with the demented Grazina as they take a midnight ride in a "jeep" that sweeps them across war-torn Europe on their way to the battlefields of Gettysburg. And the final section of the novel (Spring) is so powerfully imagined and rendered that the last pages of the book might leave you in tears. What are we? Who are we supposed to be? Do we ever rise above the level of our own mediocrity? What happens now? The Emperor of Gladness provides much food for thought, and I can only continue to admire its sensitive and intuitive author who is so very young and yet writes with such compassion and wisdom.

Well, this was a tough one; it took me about two weeks to read its 400 pages so, clearly, the story didn't propel me forward. In fact, I avoided it, even dreaded it but kept at it. I hit a turning point (or the novel did) about 200 pages into it. The whole thing was grim but beautiful, poetic and horrible all at once. My change of heart about abandoning it 200 pages in may have happened because I was told it was semi-autobiographical. That made it seem honest rather than prurient, I suppose, and I could then read the drug use, the mental illness and the dementia without cringing from it. The least I could do was honor that experience, I suppose was my thinking. The end was touching and tender but strange-

Yes, it was good and it was sad at the same time. It could’ve been a little bit longer, but overall it was good.

I picked up The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong because, as a community pharmacist who works closely with behavioral health patients, I’m always trying to better understand what depression feels like from the inside. Clinical definitions are useful. Medication profiles matter. But neither replaces lived experience. This novel offers that. Vuong writes with a poet’s precision. The language is lyrical without feeling forced. At times, the sentences slow you down. That felt appropriate. Depression slows everything down. Even time. What struck me most was how honestly the book captures the quiet weight of despair. Not dramatic breakdowns. Not stereotypes. Just the steady, often invisible heaviness that many people carry while still going to work, speaking politely, and trying to function. As someone who counsels patients about antidepressants, adherence, and side effects, I found myself thinking about the many conversations that happen across a pharmacy counter. This story helped me imagine more fully what might be happening beneath the surface. The novel also explores loneliness, identity, family bonds, and the longing to be understood. Depression here is not just a diagnosis. It’s intertwined with history, memory, culture, and the search for meaning. That complexity rang true to me. In practice, no one’s struggle exists in isolation from the rest of their life. This is not a fast, plot-driven book. It’s reflective. At times, it’s heavy. Readers looking for a tidy resolution may not find one. But those willing to sit with difficult emotions will find something valuable. For healthcare professionals, especially those working in behavioral health, I believe this novel can deepen empathy. It reminded me that while medications can ease symptoms, what many patients crave just as much is to feel seen without judgment. A thoughtful, compassionate, and quietly powerful read.

Ocean Vuong convincing boy puts a face on people who are invisible to most of us, the few who works at our favorite fat food restaurant. He gives them souls. He respects them and the community that forms from a shared workplace. But the protagonist Hai and his cousin Sony are so tragic that it hurts

This is a great read. Author Ocean Vuong brings the gritimess of the American working poor into stark focus. I could smell - as well as feel - the squalor and struggle of those who try to squeeze a little joy out of truly hopeless lives. Despite overwhelming odds, the protagonist finds a loving and caring companion. Together, they support and care for each other - at least for a while.

This was very slow for me; nothing about the story gripped me, ever. Cannot recommend it. I liked the relationship between Hai & Grazini but it didn’t really go anywhere.

I am so glad I read this book, despite its profound sadness and despair. What an incredible author to be able to convey such complex emotions in very flawed but worthy characters.

Buen libro para pasar los ratos. Buena historia.

He is a beautiful writer . It’s easy to see the sorry unfold in your mind because of how he pens it.

Beautifully written, sad but strangely uplifting. I felt connected to the characters more than anything Ive read in a long time. I cant wait to read more of Ocean Vuong's work.

Very well written. Poetically. Yeah, so nothing much happens ... that's the point. That's life! And the characters are strong. The characters are relatable. It sounds a bit trite but it reminded me a little of vintage Stephen King and the losers club. Life isn't perfect. I love this book.

5 stars for the book; 0 stars for the print and production. Unfortunately, the paperback is printed on-demand by Amazon which has the worse quality ever. Low resolution cover; shifted cover; strange front; bad glue. Wish I would have known that before. Do yourself a favor and go to your local bookstore and buy it there.