Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

658 reviews

lexipassno'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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Vomit, Racism, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Death, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Body horror, Chronic illness, Suicide, Trafficking, Addiction, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Ableism, Child abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Violence, Blood, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Self harm

turningpagesmm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

Updated review: The last time you will see this book on my feed. 

I read A little Alice with Molly from @twoliterateladies as a buddy read (hence the post it’s). When we finished I wrote a review which will be very different from this one, after some reflection and research, in re-doing it. 

First of all, thank goodness for Molly, I don’t think either of us realise how lucky we were to be reading this with someone else. 

I didn’t like this book, in fact I hated it and I don’t say that lightly. The few redeeming qualities weren’t nearly enough to bring it around. If I knew the utter devastation I would feel after reading each part, I wouldn’t have picked it up. 

A few graphic scenes in this book made me physically sick and I think it went way too far. After some research into the author I can see that I am not the only one who feels that Yanagihara went too far when it came to the treatment of her gay characters, it was almost torturous. 

I can say without a doubt that I wouldn’t recommend this book. I think my brain has started blocking it out and has decided that I won’t be retaining any of this book as I am already forgetting it. 

Jude, Willem and Harold- you have my heart but I’m sorry, you weren’t enough to redeem this book for me. 

I saw this book everywhere so I can’t help but think that I might be in the minority here but my last review, is just wrong now. 













What can I say about this book? 

This won’t be a long reviews because I am emotionally drained but I wanted to write it while it was still fresh. 

The way this book is written is honestly phenomenal, the love I had for these characters was so real, I laughed, I cried and hurt with them. 

Please before reading be aware of your triggers, this has been on my TBR for years but I wasn’t brave enough to start it, luckily Molly @twoliterateladies felt the same so we started a buddy read. Though I raced ahead at one point because I needed it to be over. I couldn’t focus on any other book, I had a pit of anticipation and dread it my stomach and I just needed it be over. I 100% recommended reading at the same time as a friend because by the end I was very emotionally unstable. 

My history of grief from losing my dad a couple of years ago played a huge part in my reaction to A Little Life so I would recommend reading triggers warning and tread carefully because crying to the point of having a panic attack and throwing up is not it (learn from my mistake). 

Overall, I’m glad I read it and  I’m glad I didn’t miss out on these stories. Multiple times I had to remind myself that it was not real, it is a work of fiction and a work of art at that. 

Possible spoiler below!!!!! 

Bad news- this book is devastating. 

Good news- I am content with the ending and after I actually stopped reading the book I was able to calm down and stop thinking about it. 

I know there have been talks of a TV series/movie and there is a stage show but I can never revisit this book again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Violence, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Blood, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use

kiymariah's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

I will not remember this as a good book at all. #Alittlelife  6/10 at best. Repetitive, cartoonish trauma porn , main characters turned to caricatures to fill plot holes and move the story along to a predictable end. I think I might actually hate this book despite a strong start . JB and Malcom had such potential. But thus is the fate of black characters written by non-black or single minded authors. It's almost cartoonishly wicked how jb becomes the black never do well of the group and Malcolm the half black lackey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Addiction, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Ableism, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Abandonment, Grief, Car accident, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping

alaskanfae's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Car accident, Bullying, Alcoholism, Addiction, Body horror, Sexual violence, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Torture, Medical trauma, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Pedophilia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Death, Body shaming, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Chronic illness

juliagongaware's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Self harm, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Suicide

bpina92's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

1.75

Don't read this book, unless you want to be incredibly sad and at times a bit bored. There are also so many triggering events that if you are not in the right headspace, then you'll really hate this book. Honestly, it could have been way way shorter if she had condensed some chapters or even left out some of the descriptions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Confinement, Blood, Body shaming, Car accident, Body horror, Bullying, Kidnapping, Rape, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Drug use, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Torture, Eating disorder, Suicide, Violence, Fatphobia, Drug abuse, and Dysphoria

leezy's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

When I first picked up this book I was told time and time again that I better be prepared to cry (which at the time I was looking for). Now that I’ve read this book I want to set a disclaimer that you might not cry at this one. You might feel numb. A Little Life takes you on such a beautifully crafted narrative that’s woven in such a way that you are desensitized the same way our main character is. Every detail is given at a specific time so when you truly get to the end of the book you feel such relief from the resolution. Be warned it’s not easy to get though lol. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Mental illness, Abandonment, Rape, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Death, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Trafficking

cnorman4405's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.75

Make sure your therapist is available 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Self harm, Vomit, Mental illness, Blood, Dysphoria, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Violence, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Absolutely beautiful, heartbreaking, and traumatic

becphe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Devastating and so good.  The characters rich and complicated. The relationships felt genuine.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Self harm, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Torture, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Mental illness, Body horror, Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, Confinement, Vomit, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Violence, Outing, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Confinement, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Kidnapping, Infidelity, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

dragonsandfoxes's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Dementia, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Bullying, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Torture, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Addiction, Grief, Cancer, Gore, Sexual harassment, and Trafficking