Fiction
Ancestry, Addiction, and the American Dream: A Review of "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" by Ocean Vuong
Sometimes you pick up a book that is so deep, beautiful, and layered in meaning, the words, without saying, ask you to put them down for a moment, just to be sure you're ready for them. Ocean Vuong's debut novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous demands us to feel. It isn't just Vuong's story, or the format of his novel in the shape of a letter to his mother who cannot read, that makes On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous impactful, though. Vuong's craft is so stunning, thought-provoking, and intentional that you cannot help but be suffocated by his words; in that mesmerizing asphyxiation is where we meet his narrator, Little Dog, and in his story, we are reminded of pieces of ourselves, or maybe a loved one, or perhaps the fragments of someone we might once have known. Ocean Vuong doesn't flinch and in doing so connects dots over decades to tell a story that is not just Little Dog's, but so much of North America's.
By sleepy draftsabout a year ago in Pride
Fire as Medicine. Content Warning.
I remember that blanket of smoke and ash which ensconce the land in an alien comfort. That heaven choked out by Stygian clouds where the crimson sun bleeds through like a wound in the sky, offering sanguine radiance drop by drop to a burning land.
By Siowas Strangeabout a year ago in Pride
My First Love
The sun dappled through the overhang of leaves, creating moving shaded areas on the well used wooden seats of the old library. Aryan, a tranquil kid with a universe of contemplations behind his scenes, was immersed in an exhausted duplicate of "Pride and Bias." His heart beat with an odd musicality, a blend of expectation and apprehension, as he sat tight for her.
By Iftikhar Akramabout a year ago in Pride
Ouija Dog. Content Warning.
I can't remember how many times I've relived that arduous Halloween in the Year of Our Damnation, 2024. Every day I wake up, hung over and hoping I've drifted into a better tomorrow. Every day I see the same news articles drifting across my phone. Every day I put on a costume to blend in with those who aren't frozen in time. And every repeated evening I am stalked by a formless terror.
By Siowas Strangeabout a year ago in Pride
A Handshake of Independence
Running late for work, I found myself anxiously trying to flag down an auto on the bustling streets. The morning air was thick with humidity, and my formal shirt was already starting to stick to my back. After several unsuccessful attempts, watching auto after auto whiz past me, one finally pulled over. As it approached, I noticed something unusual – the driver wasn't a man, but a woman.
By Aseema Shadanabout a year ago in Pride
A QVV Spooky Season Challenge
Spooky season is upon us and it´s time to celebrate! Some might see this season as a time of change, while others feel the veil between our world and the spiritual world thin. Some may dance in forests, while others trick-or-treat and stuff their mouths with candy. Sometimes we do both.
By Oneg In The Arcticabout a year ago in Pride
