by Ocean Vuong
First published 2025
East Gladness, Connecticut. Nineteen-year-old Hai stands on a bridge, ready to jump, when an elderly widow's shout stops him. Grazina, succumbing to dementia, convinces Hai to take another path. Bereft, Hai becomes Grazina's caretaker. Over a year, their unlikely bond deepens, built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak—altering Hai's relationships to himself, family, and community. At the brink, they find solace in each other's pain.
Genres: literary-fiction, mental-health, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unlikely-friendship
Setting: Connecticut (United States), New England (United States)
544 pages · Paperback · Random House Large Print
Content warnings: mental-illness