Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

254 reviews

breckee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kbulygo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Grief

sarah_case's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

I'm finally ready to review this book. 
This book isn't about friendship. This book isn't about gay people. This book isn't about life experienced. It is a sick imagining of the worst possible growing up and the worst possible dealing with youth trauma. The characters have no growth, no redemption, only misery. Nothing uplifting. Nothing worthy of telling. Another reviewer called it "misery porn." Yep. I agree. Trauma, abuse, sadism porn. That's it. Nothing more. 
The sad part is, she is a talented and beautiful writer. Her words contain power in her story telling. It's just not a story worth telling. 
Don't read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

rnallory'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

I love crying so this book was a great pick for me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

m_jepspersen's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Car accident

studywitmeh's review against another edition

medium-paced

• 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

2.5

Oh god where do I begin?? I love a lot of dark books, gloomy or dark plots are something I’m not unfamiliar with reading. Yes I found this book from tik tok, decided I needed a pick me up (ironic ik) and added this book into my cart deciding I needed a good cry based on those tik tok videos. Did I cry? No. I got pissed off. 

Spoiler: the book focuses on Jude, a man who has been through a long list of trauma and deals with it through self harm. All the people in his life love him clearly, and they are more or less used to progress Jude’s plot, BUT NOT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. There are moments where you think FINALLY there is relief, real joy and actual healthy growth before it is stripped from you like an eclipse. It’s so painfully well written, you feel like a bystander watching a crime and constantly wondering where the hell the police and judicial systems are in the story which is ironic because JUDE IS A WELL RENOWNED LAWYER. 

This book glorifies dysfunction. It makes it seem that Jude, if real, with all his trauma and not getting any mental or physical intervention would still become as successful as he is or even have this many people let him continue this cycle. I was so upset when he began to romantically be involved with William and nothing came out of it other than more lack of accountability. They are all bad friends to Jude because none of them developed the frontal lobe to realize that without stepping in he would not be a functioning human. It’s no realistic (speaking from someone with severe depression and tried to function with it untreated). No person can endure this much for that long and especially with “friends” who are meant to love them not taking notice and calling it out. It was a well written crime report to make people sob or consider this a healthy idea of male friendship with an author who has said in interviews they don’t believe in therapy. Yea go figure, cause Jude desperately needed that and then some.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

tyhames's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

madisen1213's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.75

I have spent some time trying to fully gather my thoughts when it comes to fully being able to immerse myself into an authentic and genuine review of this novel. Firstly, diving into this book I was not afraid and knew of the plethora of triggers this book maintained. However, I have to disagree with the discourse of labeling this book, this story as “trauma porn”.  I can absolutely see how this story could make someone have a visceral and triggering reaction. However, I hope that whomever reads this book is an adult and can know when to stop reading. Additionally, as a reader I made time to remind myself that it is a privilege to just be reading about it. Many people have lived such a life as Jude and it is a privilege we should recognize before going forward with a poor review because it made you or someone else uncomfortable or sick. Yes. These experiences are sickening, gut wrenching, and traumatic even as a reader. And yet, free will exists. Stop reading. For much of this story, I was concerned about when that cry moment would be for me. I’ve seen so much discussion online about where and when people fell apart. I cried once and it had nothing to do with Jude’s past but his present. Losing Willem, that gut punch of grief hit me like a truck. Grief is such a universal language for us humans and it is familiar to me. I have felt what Jude felt and I fell apart, completely. Statistically the most stressful thing to happen to a human not losing a child but losing their partner or their spouse. I felt that emanating from the pages. It was so heavy. I felt almost bad that it was that to make me cry and nothing more, I suppose life experiences, knowledge, and a certain level of stomach may be the reason I am not sure. Now, I will dive into the things I absolutely adored about this story. Firstly, I loved the premise and theme of unconditional love and friendship. How restorative and life changing one’s friendships can be. I loved the themes of chosen family and adoption. Jude’s relationships with Harold and Julia specifically are undeniably priceless. Additionally, I appreciated how much the author slowly started to unfold Jude’s trauma, I did not feel overwhelmed. It flowed with his trajectory as a character and for which I admire that. I LOVED JBs art. The impact each series and portraits had on the characters and even their meaning within the story was so valuable. I also felt that the author did a fucking fantastic job displaying how trauma manifests and how depression and other mental issues can appear in one person versus another. Jude’s experience is so real and seen in so many around us. We just never get to know it. I think that may be the hardest part about this book. People cannot and CHOOSE not to empathize with those who struggle. Yes it is hard but for some it is necessary. That is why self reflection is so important when reading a piece like this!!! There are a few reasons why this book is not 5 stars for me. 1. I wish there was more perspective shifts. There was so much JB and Mal in the beginning and then it halted. I understand that was likely due to their involvement in Judes life. At least labels of a perspective shift may be helpful for some readers. 2. I wish we got to hear more about their beginnings of their friendships. Or where Jude learned piano and other small but important items. 3. SOME of this novel was wordy and sort of dragged for me, it is beautiful and challenging and I am so glad I read it but at times some of those philosophical or profound instances were unnecessary. And lastly, I wish there was an Andy perspective. I loved Andy so much. Overall, this was such a fantastic read. I’m so glad I read it. I recommend it to no one. For me, it was worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Suicide attempt

marionmarzipan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

crisscrossedshelves's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• 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

This is not a book that I would recommend to literally anyone, but not for any of the usual reasons. It is not badly written, it is not overtly unrelatable, it is not boring. What it is is hard. It is quite possibly the most difficult thing I've ever read in my short life, and I highly doubt anything else will take that place. It was beautiful and painful and hopeful and jarring and utterly destroying.
If you have any interest in this book, literally any at all, please proceed with all caution. Read reviews, watch vlogs, look up the trigger warnings (of which there are many), and please be as prepared as you can possibly stand, and then accept that short of having every plot point explained to you, even that won't be enough.
Do not hate the author for the story she created, as this was intentional. The gradient of this story is an act of exploration into darkness that most people would shy away from, with good reason. But, it is what she wanted, and it is what people chose to read. I did, and I do not regret the hours and the emotions I afforded it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Trafficking, and Kidnapping