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aspencross'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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Car accident, and Pedophilia
daniliff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
That said, I couldn’t put this down and I do think it was spectacular. The imagery in my head was of taffy - she took lives and stretched them to their most extremes. By putting the characters through most impossibly perfect things that can happen and the most impossibly horrific things that can happen, you’re left with emotion so deep that I don’t think I’ve ever had it from a book before. I very frequently questioned what the hell is wrong with her to do some of this to characters and I sobbed. But I had to think that it had to be balanced with the impossibility of the extreme positives, too.
I get why everyone warned me. And it’s LONG. But I’m glad I read it.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Addiction, Car accident, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Rape, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Abandonment, Blood, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Self harm, Body shaming, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, and Grief
addberg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
well-written but such a sad story. you grow to know the characters so well and it was a hard read at times because of the extremely traumatic experiences of the main character. one of those books that makes you so sad, it’s hard to recommend to someone else.
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Rape, Abandonment, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse
jacobandthefrogs's review against another edition
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Rape, Racial slurs, Death, Ableism, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Car accident, Bullying, Body shaming, Sexism, Misogyny, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Suicide attempt, Racism, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Outing, Homophobia, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Dysphoria
lou_loo's review against another edition
Today, 8 and a half months later, I found a video on YouTube, where the booktuber was re-reading A Little Life and she vlogged it, giving spoilers and saying everything the story was about, without going into details as the book did. (this is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddGj3JtnbR8)
I'm extremely glad I watched this video because now I know everything that happened in the book without getting traumatized.
So I would say, if you are thinking of reading it despite having heard the whole internet saying it's terrible and they wouldn't recommend it and spoilers aren't a turn-off in a book for you... Watch this very interesting video and see for yourself if you are strong enough to go through these 800 (or 700) pages of pain and sadness.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual content, Abandonment, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Sexual harassment, Rape, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death
cari_'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
3.75
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Death, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Rape, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Body shaming
Minor: Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Infidelity, Abandonment, and Kidnapping
emtaydez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
PLEASE check trigger warnings before reading. It is a HEAVY and DIFFICULT read.
Minor: Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Addiction, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Car accident, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
peachy_gene's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I don't think this book hit me the way it seems to hit for people that don't listen to trauma for 40 hours a week [I'm a trauma therapist].There was nothing shocking about this book, however, the details are unimaginably difficult to read. I don't find Yanagihara's writing really all that beautiful- but this story is also really really ugly so I feel like that's on purpose? A devastating demonstration of love, and a reminder that sometimes love is not enough to make people choose to stay.
This book [imo] asks readers to have hard conversations with loved ones and reminds us to make sure our loved ones know the role they play in our lives- it shines light on the fact that Even if they know, they may not be able to be that forever. Sometimes we can't save people, especially from themselves, and especially from what the world has done to them. This book requires empathy and emotional shieldng to get through.
I see a lot of people saying Jude was enabled and frustrating and I agree. But I do think Yanagihara's depiction of what it's like to never be able to see yourself through the eyes of those who love you is extremely well done . The story depicts how formative our earliest years are in relation to how we trust, and form connection and this that translates into adult life. This novel is very much trauma a centered, and looks very deeply at the way trauma shapes our worldview, self perception and life outlook especially when we are leg to believe we are non-human undeserving of the healing it takes to seek trust and the company is others, to crave it desperately and have no idea what to do with that once we have obtained it.
I didn't have any visceral reaction this except for the imagery which was rare. The depictions of abuse, are Even written in a very flat way. The only time I felt anything was when the pov was from Harold, but again- this feels intentional given the subject matter. I think we are perhaps meant to be emotionally disconnected, as Jude has had to be.
I certainly didn't feel that this is the great gay novel by any means. But it is perhaps, an excellent case study for trauma's influence of the human existence if left untreated for a lifetime. It also lends excellent focus to the challenges when life is constant body horror, Jude's inability to connect with his even when he absolutely needed to, his constant act of rebellion towards the vessel he inhabits as punishment for sins he never committed; the impact of rage that is held within and never expressed.This commentary is something that is deeply felt, but extra so when a reader has a very specific set of traumas.
It looks at codependency, [lack of] autonomy, illness, what it means to exist in a body when you couldn't consent to being born, and asks what community is actually responsible for when a person has to be convinced that life really can be with living. This is not a hopeful story. It's sad and I can't ever recommend it to anyone. It never gets better. It has layers that I kept trying to find hope in, with no success. It's nothing but suffering, even happiness glimmers are temporary. I found it truly human at times, while deeply unbelievable at others, but mostly, I found it relatable and for that reason I will be talking about it with my therapist tomorrow.
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Medical trauma, Vomit, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gore, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Trafficking, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, and Ableism
jevette15'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
3.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, and Self harm
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Ableism, Blood, and Vomit
ioleari'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: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Suicide, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Vomit, Pedophilia, Violence, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Blood, Car accident, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence