Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

1910 reviews

luuaa's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Abandonment, Body shaming, Car accident, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Death

matildaesandell's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

This book is stunning. I don’t know for sure yet if this is a 5 star, I need to sit with my thoughts and feelings. Some parts I found quite slow and I was losing interest, but then they’d hit you with something big which redeemed those moments and sometimes even had me turning back. 

Some quick notes on things I liked the most: 
•The way you sometimes had to figure out for yourself who’s POV you were in
•The way things are alluded to at the start of the book and you slowly slowly receive the information you want
•The intense conversations and chapters, with their light comedic relief-specifically one chapter where Willem is talking about the different environments and whiplash, and Jude says “So I am NZ” 
•The way this book makes you feel something. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Torture, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

realityhailey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

2.0

considering the fact that i’ve tried to read this book for SO LONG, i really wanted to give it five stars. i enjoyed the way the author writes and how easily we get attached to the main characters as readers, but the depiction of self harm, SA, and the ultimate message that therapy is unhelpful and some people are “too broken” to save, leaves a bad taste in my stomach. the twist being “act of god” was incredibly frustrating and, in my opinion, a cheap shot to further the suffering of the main character. ultimately, if you decide to read this book, do so with caution, and be able to think critically about the author’s views on therapy and trauma. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Suicide, Death, Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Drug abuse, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, and Car accident

themrshedrick816's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

1.0

From the reviews I’ve read you either love this book or you hate it. Hate is a strong word, but I really didn’t like this book. It was traumatic and sad and every time you thought it was looking up and happy things were happening, nope, sad and traumatic again. I read another review that said the Author was intentionally giving the main character an awful life and that was the point of the book. I don’t think I would have loved it if there had been a happy ending but the self-sabotage and heartbreak throughout was just too much for me. If you like sad emotional reads, give it a try but I recommend anyone who reads this to look up and read the trigger warnings because there’s is a lot of them and they go into a lot of detail. I considered putting this on my DNF list and I regret that didn’t just quit because it wasn’t worth it for me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Medical content, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

xosevenusagbadan's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

What would compel someone to write such a horrific book. once you think it can’t get worse, cannot get sadder, the impossible happens 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Body shaming, Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Torture, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Ableism, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, and Medical content

mikkiokko's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

This book could have been really great, but after finishing it I have quite a complicated feeling from it. 

There were things I took away from reading "A Little Life" that were either positive or cathartic (myself having quite a few similarities to Jude). BUT, I am quite concerned about what exactly is being suggested at the end. 

When I got to the end where Jude committed suicide I was taken a back and wondered what Yanagihara was trying to say about him going through with that after everything. At first, the line that caught my attention the most was Harold, in trying to understand Jude's death, saying; "It isn't only that he died, or how he died; it was what he died believing. And so I try to be kind to everything I see, and in everything I see, I see him". I thought that by diving into the psychology of Jude and getting the reader to care about him, by taking him away at the end of everything she was perhaps trying to show the complex suffering someone can experience. And this line had me wondering if at the end Yanagihara wishes to push the audience to consider the cruelty they are complacent to and to retire that complacency (I thought of the ministers at the church who would stand by something so cruel in particular). Bringing attention to how what Jude so deeply believed about himself was created and perpetuated by cruelty. But then, I've seen what she's said. From my understanding she did no research for "A Little Life" and has suggested that some people are too far gone in their mental illness to seek treatment like therapy. I fear that with the previous line Yanagihara is suggesting that there are people whose beliefs (mental health) are so far gone that it is better for them to take their life. If that is what she intended, I am really confused because there are points earlier in the book that I would say suggest the opposite of her point. Ana's quote; "You'll find you own way to discuss what happened to you. You'll have to, if you ever want to be close to anyone" implies the benefit of exploring, discussing, and attempting to improve your mental health (and it began to work at least a little with Willem!) and that it is all a process anyone can do, but then Yanagihara insists otherwise? Yanagihara also provides wonderful moments OF JUDE BEING HAPPY!!! Of being amazed by how wonderful of people and things he has surrounded himself with. So, why give the idea that he should still kill himself? Why, whether you intend it or not, write a story that could so easily be read as suggesting suicide as an answer? It reminds me too often of people conflating a life full of physical pain as one not worth living. Chronic physical and mental pain are both extremely difficult and possibly never "curable" conditions. But they can still be managed and leave one with a wondrous and joyful life, that happens to be weaved in with pain.

TLDR; I want to say I liked "A Little Life" completely, but I can't. The ending is highly questionable and Yanagihara's commentary has only worsened my suspicions. I'm going to try to hold onto the positives I found or interpreted as there were things in here that meant quite a bit to me, but man can an author's dissonance sour a book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, Car accident, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Adult/minor relationship

cheera'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

a beautiful story about the significance of friendship and human connection, especially in regards to trauma, but very triggering would not recommend this book to just anyone

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Death, Rape, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Self harm, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Drug use, and Car accident

fbarros's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

3.25

This book is beautifully written. You get caught up in the characters' lives and feel for them. I loved following the characters through their trials and tribulations and being able to see how they grow older.

However, I feel like the author made very unlikely things happen to the characters just for shock value, and it made me bored, more or less, in the final two parts because of it. It all felt too artificially designed to make you feel something, and it ended up making me feel nothing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Rape, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Torture, Self harm, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Stalking, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Alcoholism, Drug use, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, and Abandonment

macwoods's review against another edition

dark 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

3.0

I'm the first to admit liking a sad story, but this is trauma porn. This book answers the question: how might an author warrant nearly EVERY trigger warning in their work? Do not read this if you are struggling with or recently recovered from an ED or self harming. I wanted to love the book with these lovable, beautiful characters, but I couldn't get past how unlikely the trajectory was for the main character given the seemingly bottomless well of abuse this young man barely crawled out from. The fiction of a meritocracy almost rescuing this character... In fact, all the characters are wildly successful in their careers because glamour/art/money, I guess.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Self harm, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Trafficking

Moderate: Addiction and Dysphoria

shelbygibbs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Car accident, Child abuse, Blood, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Rape, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Kidnapping