The Emperor of Gladness, set in East Gladness, Connecticut, is a 2025 novel by which author?

Correct option is C

The correct answer is (C) Ocean Vuong

Explanation:

• The Emperor of Gladness is a 2025 novel by Ocean Vuong, the acclaimed author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.

• The novel is set in the fictional town of East Gladness, Connecticut, and tells the story of 19-year-old Hai, a Vietnamese-American young man struggling with suicidal thoughts.

• His life takes a transformative turn when he meets Grazina, an elderly Lithuanian widow suffering from dementia. Hai becomes her caretaker, and their evolving relationship becomes central to the novel’s exploration of mental illness, aging, addiction, and the lingering traumas of war.

Information Booster:

• The novel touches on existential themes such as the nature of human connection and survival amidst emotional turmoil and pain.

• Vuong’s writing is praised for its poetic prose, which brings depth and emotional resonance to the characters and their experiences.

• The book’s fragmented structure mirrors the complexities of life, encouraging reflection on human existence and the transformative power of relationships.

Additional Information:

• Option A (Dan Brown): Dan Brown is known for novels like The Da Vinci Code, but he is not the author of The Emperor of Gladness.

• Option B (Philip Pullman): Philip Pullman is famous for His Dark Materials, but not for this novel.

• Option D (John Scalzi): John Scalzi is known for science fiction works, but The Emperor of Gladness is not his work.