The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
In Vuong’s sophomore novel, readers are introduced to Hai, a wayward young man in New England who, by chance, becomes the caretaker for Grazina, an eighty-two-year-old widow living with dementia. Both a smooth page-turner and a lyrical poem, this story is about friendship, loss, and how much we are willing to risk to claim one of life’s most treasured mercies—a second chance.
- Last updated: October 24, 2025
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