Vuong’s newest novel, ‘The Emperor of Gladness’, a wonder to behold

“Because to remember is to fill the present with the past, which meant that the cost of remembering anything, anything at all, is life itself. We murder ourselves, he thought, by remembering. The idea made him sick.”

These words emerge from Ocean Vuong’s latest novel, The Emperor Of Gladness, where the main character, Hai, a 19-year-old Vietnamese immigrant, struggles with depression and almost takes his life before he is stopped by an old woman with dementia. He becomes entangled in taking care of her in exchange for a place to stay and forms new relationships with other people who are just trying to survive, before ultimately going their separate ways.

This book follows Vuong’s literary hit On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and picks up where that book left off; the main character, Hai, is an older Little Dog, and his mother and boyfriend from the first book appear in this novel, albeit by different names.

Hai begins his journey after leaving a rehab facility, though his mother believes he is attending medical school. As he struggles with depression and addiction, he encounters Grazina, who convinces him not to end his life. Shortly after, he agrees to take care of her in exchange for a place to sleep. 

Throughout the book, we see their relationship evolve, and they become reliant on each other for survival. Similarly, when Hai adventures through the world, he reunites with his cousin and finds a job at a Boston Market-esque chain. From there, he encounters a multitude of people who, just like him, are trying to survive the harsh world. He experiences various ups and downs; however, Hai is ultimately left by himself at the end of the book, almost as if he’s right back where he started.

“The central premise of this novel is that there is no improvement. Nobody gets a better job. No one gets a raise. It’s just all stagnant,” said Vuong. Vuong brings the characters to life, each with their own struggles that almost seem too real. The book itself is partially based on Vuong’s own experiences, similar to the character in the book. 

His own parents immigrated to the US from Vietnam, his mother worked in a nail salon, and Vuong grew up right outside Hartford. Similarly, he dropped out of college without telling his mother, during which time he crashed at his friend’s grandmother’s house while studying at Brooklyn College, who, in likeness to Grazina, had dementia, and whom he took care of during his stay, all key points Hai and Vuong have in common. In a way, this novel is a glimpse into Vuong’s memories and person, allowing the reader to fully feel the vast expanse of emotions and struggles the main character, Hai, encounters.

“If I wrote it for myself, what would it look like? It looks like this book,” said Vuong in an interview.

The Emperor of Gladness is a heart-wrenching, gorgeous, and vivid tale that showcases a chosen family, the profoundly harsh realities of the world, and what people will do to survive. 

The core of the book follows one man’s perspective and the difficult truths one must work past to move on in life. A story that jumps from past to present, showcasing a stark tale of endurance, chosen family, and how the past looms over one.

For me, it was a perfect novel to follow On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, one I’d confidently call a must-read.