I love that title. Everyone should embrace that thought!
One of the influences for it would be Ocean Vuong's underlying Buddhist thinking.
When I first saw something about the book, I was put off by the mention of violence, but when I read Ingy's recommendation, I decided to read it. In spite of the confronting incidents of violence, I was drawn into the book as it moves from story to story as Little Dog's memories prompt him and the horribly ugly elements are somehow not completely overwhelming. The writing often evokes sensory impressions and even tender, sensuous moments. There are also some more abstract passages that I didn't understand.
As it is autobiographical fiction, the book touches on many interesting details about the characters' lives and about Vietnam and Hartford before the story of the development of the teenage gay relationship is told from about halfway through the book.
One point of interest was reading that rice farming communities in Vietnam included what Little Dog calls "intersex" people who had shamanic roles and were recognised as having certain powers and his claim that there were no labels for gays in Vietnamese before French colonisation.
As for the relationship between Little Dog and Trevor, it struck me that although Little Dog accepted his sexuality and his mother and grandmother were not homophobic, it was tragically marred by societal homophobia and Trevor's internalised homophobia and both
youngsters' lack of gay knowledge and models.
Little Dog and especially his mother and grandmother are remarkable in the way they fight against adversity and work to make a life for themselves despite their dire circumstances.
(Reading articles about his life since the period covered by the novel and some interviews, it seems as if Ocean Vuong - who is now in his early 30s - has been able to live a happier life.)