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mskingbean69'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
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Confinement, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Medical content, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Bullying, Car accident, Gore, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, Classism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
hollynewton'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
2.0
Graphic: Dementia, Body shaming, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Body horror, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Cursing, Excrement, Kidnapping, Violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Car accident, Dysphoria, Gore, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, and Trafficking
lillianareads'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
3.25
Graphic: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Confinement, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Child death, Addiction, Grief, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Self harm, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Rape, Drug use, Cursing, Chronic illness, and Body horror
kait51db'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
believe it or not, i have compliments! like i said, the writing style is my personal favorite—a little tedious, a little pretentious, but so stream-of-thought and beautiful that it's worth sitting with the long sentences and paragraphs. i loved the characters dearly. the heart-wrenching experience of the day-to-day struggle of managing mental illness and trauma that can never truly be healed was depicted brutally but honestly. it is not something i regret reading, or something i will say no one should read, but it is something worth ruminating on if reading it is worth it. talk to people who have read it, find the warnings (and not just a "trigger warning for everything" because that is useless and the specifics matter!), and really assess if the emotional destress if something you can manage for the benefit of loving a book. this is a book i learned from, but not a book required to learn.
Graphic: Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Child death, Sexual assault, Cursing, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, Car accident, and Drug abuse
Minor: Death of parent
incredibly brutal depictions of assault, sexual and physical.abwilli'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
4.5
Graphic: Self harm, Addiction, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Vomit, Child abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Car accident, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, Cursing, Dementia, and Medical content
erikajosephison'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: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Rape, and Trafficking
Moderate: Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Vomit, Bullying, Eating disorder, and Suicide
Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Cursing, Excrement, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, and Homophobia
k_coston's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
I go into recommendations blind and all I heard was this made people on tiktok cry, so here is my review after listening to the audiobook for 3 months spoilers are present
1. there's a problem with how there was no care provided to Jude after he got outta his situation like Anya ow whatever her name was didn't set up any counseling after what he went and survived through???? OK, it seems fake, but ok
2. he's such a victim, like it's hard for me to feel sympathy when they unravel his story intermittently throughout the book . It explains why he's like that but it's just a me thing that I didn't like how the book was set up I almost would've wanted them to wait until the end to reveal what happened to him
3. I feel like the author was deriving pleasure how much she was dumping on Jude, like it was extremely hard to continue at times, and I would've dnfed if I was reading the actual book. I feel like that experience with Dr trailer was completely unnecessary to the story like it was just like "again really we already did this with brother luke" while listening to it also the story of how the Dr got Jude needed to be explained more throughly
4. willem and Jude had respect for each other but not love like willem took advantage of Jude and that really disgusted me when we found out he suspected Jude didn't like having sex with him and he still subjected him to it? after already guessing he had sexual trauma, you did that to the person you supposedly loved most? actually, he didn't even respect him. You don't do that to people you love.
5. how does Jude have a backbone in only 1 area of his life? only work. on top of not having a backbone, he doesn't have a personality! he doesnt share anything about himself it seems like he's being pitied by everyone around him all the time, like he does not develop whatsoever from page one and I feel like I myself don't know anything about Jude other than he doesn't like himself but even after a while a victim has to take a stand for themselves and we're rooting for him to get some self esteem and it just never develops. if you don't have a backbone for yourself and for no one else, how are you supposed to stand the test of time? how are you supposed to take the rocks that life throw at you??? that's exactly why Caleb was allowed to do what he did to Jude and why Jude was always bound to kill himself in the end.
6. this is a book that doesn't have any character development in the slightest and I was holding out until the last moment that the author would do the humane thing and give Jude a happy ending but no. it was a vile book of trauma porn with no resolution so you spend the entire book reading about unthinkable pain and suffering so much so that you start wanting him to die to put him out of his misery.
very cruel Hanya.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Torture, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Addiction, Grief, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Car accident, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Suicide, Gore, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Child abuse, Drug use, and Eating disorder
pmayes'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
4.75
Vivid Characterization: Yanagihara’s ability to create deeply layered characters is truly remarkable. Each friend has their own struggles, dreams, and past traumas. Jude, in particular, stands out as the novel’s enigmatic protagonist. His mysterious past and ongoing struggles with physical and emotional pain make him a compelling and unforgettable character. I hurt for him, yet at the same time, I was also frustrated with him. He didn't see himself for the remarkable human being he was despite all that he had been through; but isn't that life?
Emotional Intensity: The novel’s vividness extends beyond its descriptive prose. Readers are immersed in the characters’ lives, feeling their joy, sorrow, and heartache. Yanagihara doesn’t shy away from depicting raw emotions, and as a result, readers experience a rollercoaster of feelings while reading. I can't tell you the amount of times that I ranted to my roommate and others about how this book made me feel, super happy, super sad, angry, etc.
Sad Backgrounds, Amazing Lives: The friends’ backgrounds are marked by tragedy and hardship. Yet, as they grow older, they achieve professional success and build meaningful relationships. This contrast between their painful pasts and their present accomplishments adds depth to the narrative. It’s a reminder that life is multifaceted, and even amidst success, inner struggles persist. I've heard people talk about how sad this book is, but I rarely hear people discuss the amazing success that every character had in this book. I think that should be highlighted just as much as the sad parts.
Jude’s Struggles: Jude’s journey is central to the novel. His traumatic childhood, self-harm, and emotional scars haunt him throughout his life. Despite his achievements, he remains haunted by his past. This struggle resonates with readers, illustrating how our history can shape our present and future. This book definitely should come with a slew of trigger warnings. It can be a lot to take in. I had to take several breaks while reading this book; just to collect myself and digest what was happening. Indeed, Jude’s ongoing battle with his past trauma mirrors the complexities of real life. Success doesn’t erase pain, and our past experiences continue to influence us. Yanagihara captures this truth beautifully, showing that even amidst accomplishments, inner demons persist.
I will add that at times it was hard to follow what was happening within the book. The chapters or sections would start and you wouldn't know who was speaking or who's perspective was being told until you were half-way through that section. So, that made an already long read, even longer for me. I found myself rereading sections multiple times.
Also, be sure to have your dictionary handy while reading this. This book uses so many complex, but descriptive, words, that I myself had not heard of before. This may not be an accessible book for everyone; especially given the average reading level in the US is at the 3rd grade level.
In summary, A Little Life is an emotionally charged masterpiece that invites readers to grapple with the human condition. Yanagihara’s writing is both exquisite and devastating, leaving an indelible mark on anyone who ventures into the lives of these unforgettable characters. However, it is also, at times, a difficult read emotionally and literally.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Physical abuse, Self harm, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Ableism, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Injury/Injury detail
readerrae'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
Please check the warnings beforehand, the content in this is brutal at the very least, and the horrors these friends go through are described in great detail. Not gory exactly, but very detailed in their explanations.
Graphic: Ableism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Self harm, Vomit, Blood, Grief, Mental illness, Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape
avenevs'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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Gore, Grief, Self harm, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Drug use, Racism, Death of parent, Mental illness, Suicide, Child death, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Car accident, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence