The Recurring Cast
Standalone novel · 2025

The Emperor of Gladness

At his lowest point, nineteen-year-old Hai is stopped on a bridge by Grazina, an elderly widow living with dementia. He becomes her carer, takes a job at a fast-casual restaurant, and finds an unlikely family among his co-workers in a run-down Connecticut town.

Spoiler-free summary written for The Recurring Cast.

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Book facts

Author
Ocean Vuong
Series
Standalone
Published
2025
Setting
Set in the fictional East Gladness, Connecticut
Characters charted
3
Chart confidence
High

Who is in The Emperor of Gladness

3 recurring or key characters from Ocean Vuong’s chart. Introduces Hai, Grazina and BJ.

Lead 2

  • HaiFirst appearanceNineteen-year-old Vietnamese American
  • GrazinaFirst appearanceElderly Lithuanian widow living with dementia

Major 1

  • BJFirst appearanceHis co-worker at HomeMarket