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synthwhoa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Torture, Rape, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
soraydiant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Medical content, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Mental illness
Moderate: Vomit, Cancer, and Ableism
kaitlyn_avecado's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is so endlessly devastating. It is an extremely challenging read, and I can understand how some folks could not/did not want to read the heavy traumatic content that fills this book. It brought me to tears more than any book ever has. Some of the tears were hopeful tears. Hot tears streamed down my face for the final few pages.
The characters are multi dimensional, and the writing is beautiful and captivating. You follow the lives of four men and their relationships with one another throughout decades of their lives. It's a tale of friendship and love and kindness and self worth and acceptance.
It has almost every CW on the list, so if you choose to read, please take care of yourself.
"I try to be kind, to everything I see. And in everything I see, I see him."
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Self harm
Moderate: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction
emezde's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Death, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Grief, Pedophilia, Violence, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Car accident, Drug abuse, Addiction, Vomit, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
cassmpt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Gore, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Suicide attempt, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Medical content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death, Grief, Rape, Dysphoria, and Pedophilia
sphjnx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Minor: Car accident and Death
hgullegrogan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Unfortunately, due to the graphic nature of this novel, I feel that many will lose out on the interesting analysis of interpersonal relationships. But, ultimately, I feel that a potential reader should err on the side of caution with this book.
Original Review:
A Little Life is both genius--in the dimensionality of its characters and universe --and absolutely heartbreaking. This story emotionally destroyed me, but I believe that it will be one of the most impactful pieces I will ever read.
I'd first like to say that this book is extremely challenging to read due to the shocking, graphic content it contains. I would not recommend this story to anyone sensitive to graphic discussions of abuse, sexual violence, self mutilation, and suicide.
Despite the difficult content, Yanagihara has created a world and characters that are so authentic and believable that I feel that I have both known the characters and lived their lives--much like recalling my own memories.
Each of the primary 5 characters are governed by the false truths they learned as children. Jude's story is extreme, but the delineated parts of his life accentuate this idea.
A Little Life grants the reader both hope and desolation; that they have the power to instill goodness and happiness in others
'to an extent'. As much as we see the best in our loved ones, we cannot force them to see and believe it. We have the power to do our best for others, but it is ultimately their choice how they live.
The despair I felt when I realized the meaning behind this book's title broke my heart. I feel as if I have mourned myself through Jude (though our lives couldn't be more dissimilar). Jude's sense of self is mauled and disfigured by his past--a past that he knows to be horrendous--yet he cannot untangle himself from it.
Although Jude eventually dies by suicide, his time with Willem during "the happy years" instills the importance of deep connection that we build with others. Willem is both a secondary character and the primary protagonist with how he inspires kindness and compassion.
Despite the initially slow pace, Yanagihara's writing is so poetic and beautiful that I was immediately transfixed by the story. If you can handle the graphic content, you will feel joy, hope, grief, inspiration, heart break, pride, contentment, and sorrow.
You will feel as if you've lived a whole life within your own and grieved the loss of those you've never known. You will smile, laugh, and cry. You will likely see yourself or someone you know within these pages, and you will wonder what you can do better for those you love.
Graphic: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Grief, Child death, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Trafficking
Minor: Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Vomit
veebee257's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Homophobia, Addiction, Confinement, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Self harm
sophiaiscoolxd's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Rape, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Self harm, and Injury/Injury detail
camiraculous's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Or, read this book but you have to prepare yourself for a VERY emotional read.
Graphic: Self harm, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Medical content, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Death