Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

1100 reviews

harrys96's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.0


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realjordanjohnson's review against another edition

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dark 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

5.0

This may be the most emotionally devastating book I’ve ever read. What makes it so truly heartbreaking and soul crushing is that the horrors and traumas are real, that they actually happen to people. The emotions are so palpable, so realistic, so savage that I had to physically put this down and just cry- and I cried often. The writing is beautiful. The depictions of friendship, love, and grief may be one of the best examples of writing I’ve ever read. I will truly think about this book for the rest of my life. 

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isikunkel's review against another edition

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

2.0

This book was horrific??? Why did I keep reading??? I considered stopping so many times but kept telling myself I could finish it but WOW. I had nightmares with this book and it did not do anything good for me. The writing at times was lovely and that is why it gets 2 stars instead of 1. Character growth was minimal. Traumatic to read. 

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poofymoi's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense 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

4.25

I’m not really sure how to rate this book yet so the stars remain untouched. 

I am left floored but the sheer levels of human atrocities that one author could think of, not to mention the visceral gore, pain, and bodily horror that came from these pages. But they were also showered in the most dedicated, gut wrenching, purest forms of love as well. To love someone so unconditionally that you know may continue to harm you, frighten you, and lead you down life’s darkest paths. No character in this novel runs from these melancholic, sadistic truths of life, which makes it all the more painful and challenging to read. I don’t know if I come away from the book thinking “it’s all worth it in the end,” but then again, how can I not? To love someone with such intensity and fervor and dedication and devotion, to me, is one of the few purest treasures in life. No one who ever loved Jude (really loved Jude) ever left him, even when they knew he would ultimately wreck them. If only he had one ounce of that love and forgiveness for himself. But I guess that’s the point, isn’t it? Sometimes, even loving someone with such intensity cannot make up for those who have harmed them worse. Trust is a fragile, tenuous thing. May we all be lucky enough to find it and recognize it and hold it and believe it. What a fucking horror story. 

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adeleodette's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • 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

4.25


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miri_ktz's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • 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

3.0


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shellsob's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

I would like to start this off by saying what the f**k, Hanya Yanagihara?!?! The writing of this book is done wonderfully, it paints images in the readers head…. However, the images it paints ?!?! FOUL!! The book is HEAVY. 
The entire book is a trigger warning for…  possibly everything. Not sure what the best method of reading this book is, quickly so it’s done faster? Slowly so you’re not horribly emotionally wrecked everyday? Or… hear me out… not  reading it at all. I read this book as a challenge to myself (LOL) because everyone was saying “it’s so good”, “you need a therapist to read this”, “whole thing is a trigger warning”…. They weren’t lying (besides the “it’s so good” part). 

I will give it to Hanya Yanagihara, she is phenomenal writer. I just felt like the book had WAY too much trauma happening for one person. Everytime I thought to myself “surely, this is it”…. IT WASN’T. Maybe I wasn’t the audience for this book (surely, I wasn’t the audience for this book). Would I recommend it? Maybe BUT not without fully warning the person and making sure they are in an emotionally stable position in their life. 

It’s been nearly a week since I finished the book and I still think about it. I fear that I won’t be the same after having read this. Is there an emotional support group for A Little Life readers? 

I’m not even sure how to rate this book…. The writing, great! The words written, I’m at a standstill. 

Do what you will with me review, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. 

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zltrail's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • 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

5.0


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piasta's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Gemischte Gefühle. Die letzten hundert Seiten waren die Besten. Ich musste nicht weinen, dennoch war es an manchen Stellen (be)rührend. Die Mitte (Seiten 400-600) hat sich stellenweise gezogen. Sprachlich meist einfach, außer die juristischen Passagen und Fachbegriffe. Die stellen über und um Kunst fand ich seht schön. 
Ich fand schade, dass es nur am Anfang POVs von JB und Co. gab. Z.B. die neben-Story über den Drogenmissbrauch fand ich spannender als die zichste Wiederholung von Judes Unverbesserlichkeit. Ehrlich gesagt, fand ich Jude sogar etwas nervig. Zu viel Selbstmitleid und Ignoranz, auch wenn ich verstehe, dass Trauma so etwas auslösen kann. Ich dachte auch, dass er eher stirbt. 
Klassismus: Apparently sind alle Charaktere reich und jetten um die Welt. Es wäre schön gewesen, auch andere Perspektiven kennenzulernen. 
Dachte, es passieren verrücktere oder „schlimmere“ Dinge. Vielleicht sind die Leute auf Booktok nur an ihre Romance-Bücher gewöhnt oder ich habe zu viele Fitzeks/Krimis gelesen. Jedenfalls hat es mich nicht schockiert oder traumatisiert. Insgesamt Medium, etwas overhyped, aber grundsätzlich einfach nur eine lange Skizze eines Lebens - wie der Titel sagt. 

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kasumi_misty's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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