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crocsnsocs27'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
3.75
Sometimes we need to be reminded of the pains of life but sometimes i could have done without focusing on them. I don’t really have anything bad to say about the book but if i had known better i could have done without.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Self harm, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse
kgronniger'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: Mental illness and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Chronic illness, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Drug abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Death, and Grief
erinreadsslow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Ableism, Pedophilia, Violence, Self harm, Rape, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault
clarard'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
3.5
A Little Life starts with four friends who just moved to New York City after finishing college and are trying to achieve their respective dreams. Sounds like a fun, coming of age novel, right? Truth is, it can't be more different.
Spoiler!
Throughout the book, we'll slowly learn all these characters' story, especially Willem's, and, obviously, Jude's. The book will revolve aroud his past, the effects trauma has on him, and, why not, his present day struggles, as if he hadn't suffered enough as a child.
Now, don't get me wrong, the depiction of abuse and horror is excellent, as well as Yanagihara's understanding on how pedophiles manipulate kids.
I also enjoyed the difficulties people around Jude go through, since it is very difficult to trust and love a person who is so secretive and who refuses to share anything about his past or ask for professional help.
However, it lacks reality. For example: Andy, despite knowing Jude's problem with self-harm, does not warn anyone around him or forces him to go see a therapist. I don't think doctors are legally allowed to ignore over and over again their patient's need for psychological help.
We know the characters in their 20's and the book ends when they're in their 50's, yet there's no mention of any historical event. I understand that Hanya wants us to focus on the characters, and I get that mentioning every single thing that happens is impossible and -let's be honest- boring. But how can there be no mention of 9/11, when they live in New York City? Not a single person they know is affected by it? Or the Vietnam War? Or even the Year 2000 Problem? Not a single conversation about any of that?
Also, please stop considering it the "great gay novel". I don't even know where did that come from, but I feel thinking of this book like that is like laughing on Jude's face or ignoring everything that has happened to him.
Last but not least, the characters except maybe JB (sometimes), are all good or bad. Either they are the kindest, purest souls to ever exist, lovable and who don't deserve any bad thing; or they belong to hell, you hope they die suffering and in pain.
End of spoiler!
So
I didn't like this book (who can like 1000 pages of abuse, violence, pain, more violence, more pain?). The writing is brilliant, I loved the characters - there's the secret recipe for it to be such a devastating story. But, even knowing it was Hanya's intention to show us happiness is not promised to any of us and that we shouldn't always expect a happy ending (I agree with both things), reading the torture Jude goes through is sometimes unbereable. I'm usually not disgusted or in need to have a break when reading a book, but with this one I had to stop more than once, go have a drink or go for a walk to analyse what I had just read. It's complicated to give a rating. I feel like a person could give it 5 stars or 1, and I'd agree with them.
Warning and my advice
Do not read it if you're going through a hard time! I waited some months to read the book after receiving this advice, and honestly, I think it's my duty to share it.
Read all its trigger warnings, please, and if you're sensible with some of them, especially the first ones you'll see (there are VERY explicit scenes that are repeated several times), I'd recommend you to wait or to not read it. It's not worth it.
Graphic: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Rape, and Suicide
Moderate: Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Medical content
Minor: Vomit and Bullying
evax89'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
3.0
Graphic: Medical content, Child death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Rape, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Trafficking, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
bakenjanereads'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Suicide, Violence, Addiction, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Physical abuse, and Self harm
swilliamss'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: Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Sexual violence, and Self harm
pinkfloydtwisted'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
4.25
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Dysphoria, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Addiction, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Confinement, Rape, Mental illness, Car accident, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Grief
althya'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
4.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Grief, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Rape, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Domestic abuse
alisa_f'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: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Child abuse, and Physical abuse