Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

1352 reviews

soraydiant's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

emezde's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

sphjnx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

Edit: After taking a few weeks to process this novel, my feelings have changed a bit. I feel that Jude's traumatic backstory is unnecessarily graphic and absurd. The abuse he endured at the monastery would have been sufficient in providing context to his mindset, while sparing the reader. Some other reviewers feel that this novel panders to trauma-porn, and I have to agree. The sexual abuse described in graphic detail was troubling for me, and had a massive, negative impact on my mental health for days after reading this book. And, again, I don't feel that it was necessary. I do still feel that this book has had a significant impact on how I view my interpersonal relationships; and the voice of the novel shines in this respect. I appreciate how Yanagihara writes an unconventional relationship

Jude and Willem's platonic-leaning, non-sexual relationship

which serves as realistic representation of alternative relationship dynamics. 

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.

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Content Warnings

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

pjthom's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Drug abuse, and Death

marsremijn's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Really sad

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug abuse

veebee257's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

lsaunders685's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Body shaming, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Chronic illness, Death, Excrement, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Body horror, Bullying, and Gore

sophiaiscoolxd's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

beautifully written, but incredibly trauma focused to an uncomfortable degree. give jude a break!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Rape, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Self harm, and Injury/Injury detail

rinnfoskey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Ooooft. A long, beautiful and haunting novel. I felt totally captured by this book, staying up far far too several nights in a row to finish it both because I was so invested in the characters lives and Hanya managed to keep the reader engaged over some nearly 800 pages but also because I wanted to be done with it and the emotional turmoil! It was so tender and so brutal, an exaggeration of possibilities on both ends of the spectrum but that we can all find elements in our own "little lives" to connect with. I loved and hated all four of the main characters at points - most of all Jude of course - who we are all made to be infatuated and infuriated by endlessly. 

Certainly things I didn't like or feel weren't as successful in the novel so it's not a 5 star for me, but it was incredibly impacted and I know will be staying with me for a long while 

If you need a good cry, read this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Violence