Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

1435 reviews

zyaise's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

2.0

I’ve seen mostly positive reviews so I thought it was worth it to give my two cents. The book is beautifully written, I thought the beginning was promising, but it got more dull as it went on, it seems as if the author wanted to fit as much trauma as possible, and while I do understand and know that this is the reality of some people, I feel like it falls flat, the trauma takes the main role over the actual characters, I guess that’s why I didn’t really connect with most of the characters. 

And here’s the thing, I think the plot twist was lazy, making Willem die first instead of Jude seems like such an overdone plot twist, making the healthy person die because it can happen to any of us, I get it, but I’ve seen it already in so many books and movies and shows that it has lost its impact, I would be more surprised at this point if the set up was predictable. And while Jude dies in the end, that also fell flat for me, it felt forced at that point.

Also, the triggers list is very very long and you should check it out before picking up this book, personally I don’t recommend it, I didn’t cry (mostly because I didn’t connect with the characters) and I didn’t enjoy it, even though it’s beautifully written and it’s certainly the portrayal of life, I just wish it would’ve been… more. I would’ve also loved it if the whole book was from Harold’s POV, I found his chapters to be the most touching, engaging and emotional. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Car accident, Mental illness, Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Emotional abuse, and Grief

kaitlyn_avecado's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

*Listened to audiobook*
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."

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Content Warnings

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

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

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

monserrot's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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: Child abuse, Addiction, Gore, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Death, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Chronic illness, Body shaming, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Cursing, Vomit, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, and Alcohol

blakeisik's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.5

Very difficult to pinpoint how i feel about this book. Beautifully written, but full of trauma-porn.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Classism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Car accident, Gore, Homophobia, Rape, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

ellen1196's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Drug abuse, Grief, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Body shaming, Child abuse, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, and Rape

shannont's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Addiction, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Rape

kaitrc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

In the end, the story was really good. However, I don’t know if it was worth the trauma I endured reading it. The writing felt scattered, especially because it jumps around in time way too frequently. It took me longer to finish this book than any other book I’ve read: partly because it’s SOOO slow in the first half and partly because I had to take breaks to get through the especially traumatic parts. I would only recommend if you’re in the mood to sob for hours or if nothing can trigger you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Death, Physical abuse, Grief, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Self harm, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Pedophilia, Rape, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Addiction, Vomit, Eating disorder, and Ableism