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jaybird_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I will begin this by saying that I am a queer disabled man, and it is for that reason (and my insatiable, sometimes harmful curiosity) that I read this book.
This book is not some great gay novel as so many have claimed. It is not even written about queerness; it just uses sex with men as one of the many ways that Jude is physically and emotionally tortured. Jude’s sexuality, trauma, and disability is not written with empathy — it is written with a sick fascination that is voyeuristic in nature.
Some of the characters are more than lovable. Some of the scenes and relationships are beyond beautiful. I cried over the first description of Jude’s pain because it was so similar to my own. I cried over the care that Harold showed Jude. I don’t care. The point of this book could have been achieved in 200 less pages and with less than half of the atrocities that were done to Jude.
I might write more later, but for now I have finally sat down and read (in one week) this 800 page trauma-porn novel that so many people are undeservedly obsessed with (most likely because our culture is obsessed with trauma and abuse, especially that visited upon queer men) and can finally say from personal experience: do not fucking read this book.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Car accident, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Vomit, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
robinsera'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
1.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Eating disorder, Gore, Medical content, Physical abuse, Stalking, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Vomit, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Death, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
dairyfreemozzarella's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
on a seperate note i think the back cover should reflect more of the pure agony of this book OR there should be a list of trigger warnings in the begining. i was not prepared!
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Medical trauma, Ableism, Blood, Grief, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Trafficking, Violence, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Medical content, Mental illness, Torture, Drug use, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Body horror, Car accident, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Drug abuse, Excrement, Kidnapping, Stalking, Eating disorder, Outing, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Vomit, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cursing, and Dementia
alevssia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Addiction, Biphobia, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Eating disorder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Just don’t read it.emmadebussy'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
4.0
Those who share my insurmountable desire to read this book should anticipate the absolute worst upon reviewing the content warnings.
For those who want to read the majority of the most traumatic events in the book but end on a happy note, stop right before Section V, Chapter 2. Rip the rest of the pages out and burn them.
This being said, I would still describe A Little Life as a beautiful work of art. There are uplifting, touching moments and others that were gut wrenching and made me feel physically ill. While the term trauma-porn undoubtably applies to this story, it so accurately depicts the potential lasting impact of trauma, the non-linear processes of healing, and the internal dialogue of those dealing with severe depression and suicidal ideation.
I disagree with the criticism that this book is against therapy. I would argue that it accurately represents many people’s resistance to therapy, that it is not as helpful for those unwilling to openly participate in the process, and that it is not an immediate or complete fix for most people.
This story is realistic in how it presents sensitive subject matter, which is what makes it so upsetting to read, and difficult process after the fact. Its primary flaw is the very real damage it could cause for some readers.
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Medical trauma, Stalking, Ableism, Biphobia, Body horror, Kidnapping, Car accident, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Sexual violence against children was explicit but I personally did not find it >AS< graphic as non-sexual violence, and instances carried out against adults. Self harm and suicidal thoughts are described in detail.alisonannk'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: Violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Car accident, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Blood, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Child death, Chronic illness, Gore, Outing, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Trafficking
Moderate: Dementia, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Alcohol, Racism, Cancer, and Vomit
julianareynolds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Child abuse, Rape, Toxic friendship, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Drug use, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Car accident, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Classism, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Pedophilia
riella_reads'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: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Car accident, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Grief, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Child death, Homophobia, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Suicide
lozbot27'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
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Fatphobia, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Suicide, Car accident, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Dementia, Infertility, Self harm, Torture, Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse
emmacartlidge'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: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Abandonment, Ableism, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Rape, and Car accident
Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Eating disorder, and Sexual violence
Minor: Death of parent, Transphobia, Body shaming, Lesbophobia, and Stalking