Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

3416 reviews

maeve_simone's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Child death, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

greyson_reids'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

There's a million reviews about this book, but truly an incredible novel. You will be left crying and traumatized but you will fall in love with the characters and get to know them well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Sexual assault

occomo's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Trafficking

sebkimball's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

a8bhatia's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

enlamont's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

eaupaline's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

2.75

Honestly the more reviews I read about this book the more I realized I don't really liked it.

My feelings about this novel are rather mixed. Overall I liked the writing, the character and the deep sense of nostalgia that I had when reading it. I thought it said a lot of beautiful things about friendship and love, too. The characters feel close to us and we see them grow for so long that it's difficult not to get attached - my favorite were probably Malcolm, although we don't see that much of him, and Andy.

What troubles me though is the extremely graphic scenes of violence, and how deep we delve into Jude's past. It sometimes felt like trauma porn or voyeurism and I really don't think being that explicit was absolutely necessary and the only right way to convey the misery of this character's childhood. 
It's a very personal feeling but at some points reading about his past almost felt like a trahison, Jude's character being so secretive and dignified, it felt as if I was discovering his past without his consent, and I thought it was weird and clumsy. 
I didn't get this feeling until some point in Jude's story though.

The whole part about the monastery was okay to read, the part with Brother Luke a little less, and the one with Dr Traylor just had me roll my eyes.

It really seems so far-fetched and grotesque sometimes that by the 3/4 of the book I was eager to finish it. It's not that the depictions where unbearable - they barely are bearable - but I kept asking myself what was the point of being that gruesome. It's a shame though. It's an interesting book, but it could have been shorter, more well-thought, more intelligent, more sincrere. It's basically a disappointement for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Car accident, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Infidelity, and Racism

ajseyler's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I kept seeing the videos of "This is me at the beginning A Little Life" and "This is me at the end of A Little Life" so I put it on my list. I usually read a Wally Lamb 700 pager during the summer but I'm all out, so knew this was the time for Yanagihara. I seriously couldn't put this book down (which is saying something because it's like 700+ pages) - I truly loved it. I grew attached to the characters and their relationships, I became so invested in seeing what they would do with their lives and how things would play out between them. Yanagihara is such a fantastic storyteller - she has a way of weaving words together and making you feel powerful emotions. I was blown away at how fast-paced the book felt, it was a page turner for me. Don't get me wrong, the book was very difficult to read because of the heaviness of the themes, experiences, and ideas shared, but it was so deeply beautiful that that outweighs the toughness (take breaks!) I think you have to go into the book fully prepared [to be emotionally wrecked] but that shouldn't stop anyone from diving in - it is so so worth it. The beauty. The profound. It's just an absolute stunner of a book. Highly highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

jonathancgood's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

slincoln26's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• 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

A VERY HARD read. But such an emotional ride that is genuine love and real relationships. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail