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gia0203'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
A Little Life is an epic. It's length and density mean that the narrative has room to breathe. There are so many little details that give the book a certain realism. Not just the characters either, but the city, the buildings. Each house that Jude moves to is distinct and painstakingly described, every person he meets is given their own charms and flaws. Its these idiosyncracies which really make you feel like you're inside the book, rather than watching from the outside. It's this immersion that makes A Little Life even more relentless. You are not allowed simply to observe. You are a part of the world.
And nowhere is this style of writing more effective than when you are inside of Jude's mind. Jude is a character who remains elusive to the people around him. Eventually, the people close to Jude are allowed to see parts of him, but it's only us, the reader, who truly understand how Jude thinks. Even Willem, who learns the most, doesn't see what we see. Jude's inner narrative, the true depth of his self loathing, it's known only to us.
But even we don't know everything. Every now and then Jude will elude to something we don't know about, and we are made to remember that there are things so terrible that Jude can't even confront them in his own mind. One of the main tragedies of the novel is that Jude cannot reveal his true self to anyone for so long. The lying, the hiding, it's part of his undoing.
A Little Life has become notorious for just how sad it is. Truly the saddest part is that
I do, however, think that Willem's sudden accidental death has purpose. Yanagihara stated that this book was uncompromising, and the spectrum of human emotion to an extreme. And the sad reality is that some people's lives are like this. Sometimes, there is no happy ending. Jude states that he is the same person he was as a child, that he always ends up back how he was, and I think this is a poignant depiction of trauma and mental illness. Another book might have took a different course. But this is the route this one took. As cruel and unkind as it was, it was not without purpose.
Despite everything, I appreciated the moments of kindness and happiness scattered throughout the book. There is so much love in this story, and there are moments where Jude gets to experience it. True love. It sometimes made the horror worth it. The way Willem curled around Jude every night... The thoughtful things Harold did for him... The way so many people tried to help him... And the way Jude constantly helped others too...
I felt like the themes of suicide and self harm in this book were treated with respect and accuracy. Often, Jude's thoughts were so strikingly similar to ones I had at the worst parts of my depression that I had to stop and breathe. While I couldn't relate to much of his experience, particularly with disability and sexual abuse, it didn't mean I couldn't empathise with him. He wanted an escape, a reprise, which I understood. The most graphic descriptions are of his self harm, illness and injury. At times they did feel too much; Jude's cutting in particular was difficult to get through. But Yanagihara was unflinching, for better or for worse. Was it necessary to make the reader continuously watch him self harm? I'm not sure yet. It's so repetitive, so relentless, and yet this was Jude's life, and Yanagihara clearly wanted us to see it for what it was. I can't criticise the person who says it was too extreme and purposeless, but I also can't criticise the person who says it was necessary and that we shouldn't have to censor what is reality for so many people.
Plus, Yanagihara always knew when to zoom out, when to pull the curtain over our eyes. For all that this book is graphic, it never feels exploitative. The sexual abuse is vague and shadowy; descriptions focus on Jude's thoughts, rather than explicit details.
In trying to help Jude, all of the characters made mistakes. The people who loved him the most were often the ones who hurt him the most. Their desperation and their longing to save him stripped him of his agency at times, yet also were what he needed at others. Willem, Andy, Harold, they all debated what was best. Should I force him to get help, and alienate him in the process? Should I go along with it to keep him close to me? Should I compromise? Was any of it even helping? I loved that there was no right answer. I loved how morally grey it all was.
As I was reading this book, I immediately ordered Yanagihara's other books. I thought her writing style was beautiful and I adored her thoughtfulness. The part that made me cry, and that I thought was the best part of the book, was Dear Comrade. The descriptions of grief; the way Jude uses objects to inspire memories; the way the characters feel like ghosts in the last part of the novel, trying to mimic their ordinary lives. It was beautiful and devastating and it's when I really, truly cried. I'm very excited to delve into the rest of the author's writing. I can't really bring myself to give A Little Life a rating of less than 5, even if I am still conflicted about it. Also, I will definitely be rereading it, and watching the play, and I've ordered the playbook too, so.
Graphic: Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Child abuse
Moderate: Blood, Death, Eating disorder, Grief, Medical content, Sexual violence, Ableism, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Kidnapping, Suicide, Addiction, Car accident, Death of parent, and Vomit
cinn_vida's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Drug use, Dysphoria, Gore, Grief, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Vomit, Addiction, Cancer, Car accident, Death of parent, Medical content, and Mental illness
celery'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: Suicide, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Stalking, Violence, Vomit, Body shaming, Car accident, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
lqne'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Body shaming, Grief, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Torture, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pedophilia, Ableism, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Drug abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Trafficking
mari_lit's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Gore, Ableism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Medical content, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use
Minor: Death of parent
canisand's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Hate crime, Homophobia, Body horror, Bullying, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Outing, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, and Violence
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
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
a_tanya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Car accident, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse
arthurwjones's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Cursing, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Blood, Medical trauma, and Vomit