Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Ein wenig Leben by Hanya Yanagihara

2541 reviews

cmshintani's review against another edition

5.0

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt

emmaantje's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment

sbhat_39's review against another edition

2.0

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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

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In the middle:
This book needs trigger warnings. A lot of them. 

I think one of the greatest strengths of this book is that you can see a little bit of yourself in each of the characters. This book is an exploration of humanity and the author fully immerses you in the mind of each of its characters I really like this book, but I don’t recommend it. 

After finishing:

This book is meant to be a hymn to brotherly love? If only at the extremes. This book is truly beautifully written, and in such a way that it’s hard to put down. However, the trauma that these characters go through served only to give the author a sadistic thrill. How human relationships can transcend romance and sex and friendship can be conveyed without torturing, not only the characters, but the reader. To say that this book needs trigger warnings is honestly an understatement. Not only are the characters put through the worst humanity has to offer, But the reader is tortured right alongside them. The author’s biggest, and most noteworthy, skill is placing the reader directly inside of the characters mind. And with that comes a terrible cost as characters are tortured, abused, and taught to hate themselves. I can’t in good faith recommend this book to anyone.

2 stars for excellent writing -3 stars for sadism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

tiffanyjday's review against another edition

2.5

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I really took my time with this one. I really tried to like it. 

The writing is beautiful, and each character is gripping, thoughtful and unique. But ultimately didn't enjoy this read. Maybe that was the point.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

emolson21's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The ultimate story of true friendship. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment

thimblewhim's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional sad tense 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

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Devastatingly sad and gruesome. Another reader called it ‘torture porn’ aaaand I get it. It would be very triggering for anyone who has endured SA, suicidal ideation, and/or self harm. This was an incredibly difficult read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

I spent 300 pages thinking, why am I reading this? 100 pages insisting that I was about to DNF it And then the last 416 pages I decided I was way too invested to quit. Now that I'm done, I've spent three days thinking about how it was all for freaking nothing. He finally committed to therapy and trusting Harold and he fkng killed himself anyway. 816 pages of torture porn hoping for some kind of bittersweet happy conclusion just for Jude to give in completely. SO FRUSTRATING.

ivanasabljic's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment

candywellins's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail

carsync's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book is absolutely the saddest thing I have read in such a long time. The characters were so well developed, and I am mourning them! Here is to love and hope.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment

It is VERY DARK and VERY HEAVY.

sophhhtware's review against another edition

3.25

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Abandonment