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eedle_cacleberry'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
5.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Grief, Ableism, Child abuse, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Self harm
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Addiction, and Car accident
Minor: Child death, Eating disorder, and Abandonment
saramgood's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Self harm, Kidnapping, Eating disorder, and Child death
mellii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Blood, Car accident, Rape, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Body shaming, Drug use, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, and Vomit
Minor: Child death
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
syonkerstalz's review against another edition
Graphic: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Ableism, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Violence, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Suicide, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Blood, Mental illness, and Sexual violence
xaqrii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual violence, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Medical content, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Confinement, Drug abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Death, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Child abuse, Violence, Self harm, Chronic illness, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
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
izzygordon'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: Child abuse, Death, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Rape, Violence, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Blood, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
emezde'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: 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
hgullegrogan's review
- 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