The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean VuongTHE MILLION COPY BESTSELLER AND TIKTOK SENSATION Ocean Vuong returns with an achingly beautiful novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive One late summer evening in the post industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen year old Hai stands on a bridge, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to

which claims to provide 'physical

both planned and unplanned

By midnight the party will be completely out of control

respect and sheer ease

nothing moves save the ash on the wind and cruel

and they are treasured places for tranquillity and recreation

thousands of government documents

It is her son Shuggie who holds out hope the longest

with fascinating background notes and a long list of sources and further reading included

the affection and safety he craves is as remote as the ocean he dreams of seeing one day

The war's new weaponry

Noelle flees