Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

827 reviews

sahnve's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Vomit

aspencross's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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

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Content Warnings

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

challenging 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

4.5

In good conscience, I can’t tell anyone to read this. It literally took every content warning and blew it out of the water (in all the categories literally). At times it was incredibly hard to read because it was sickeningly dark. 

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.

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Content Warnings

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

ellieg2604'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

4.5

Words can't even describe how this book made me feel. It is so emotional and so moving. My heart was broken for this boy who has suffered so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Rape, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Self harm, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Adult/minor relationship

rgallo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

The haters will say Yanagihara is nihilistic and the best place for this book is on the bed side table of a sadist. To the haters: Try reading the book without letting your own discomfort lead you to reject or miss the beauty in the storytelling ❤️

At first Yanagihara’s use of a nonlinear narrative left me feeling confused and disoriented. As the story developed the purpose of this technique continues to be tended to until it is in full bloom. Jumping from moment to moment, memory to memory, without declaration mimic’s how while reflecting our conscious minds cling to moments of joy and pain without regard to logic. Our minds like the story do not process emotions or trauma chronologically—we are always moving through time. Reaching for the memories that have not happened yet and those we want to forget. 

As in life the characters of this story are complex and fallible. Yanagihara’s slow release of the characters experiences and mind spaces  allow you as the reader to make judgments, and then correct those judgments. In life we are quick to categorize and file people based on an action or a reaction;forgetting that we are more than just one moment but a collection of morals and experiences. Choices made by characters in A Little Life are frustrating, saddening, endearing, and everything in between. In the end the characters are human and experiencing life the best they can given their own ability to process and survive.  

With all of what I’ve said in mind…this story is brutal at times and difficult to read. In those moments a reader can find themselves feeling disgusted or uncomfortable—as if the authors main purpose is to harp on the pain and suffering of others for pleasure or entertainment. Others have said this is a book about suffering with no purpose beyond that. A book with no happy ending. As I finished the book I couldn’t disagree more. This is a book about being a live. A book about suffering and joy. A book about trying our hardest to fight the urge to cling to memories which bring us pain. A book about trying to escape to happiness—succeeding and failing at times. A book about the healing power of true connection and friendship. In the end our journey—like the characters—is unknown in life. We can only try our best. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Rape, Ableism, Domestic abuse, and Medical trauma

emtaydez's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

So beautifully written, but oh so sad. It was both traumatic and healing, devastating but hopeful. It gives so many perspectives, so many insights. As traumatized as I am from the book, I also feel I have grown and healed from it, too. 

PLEASE check trigger warnings before reading. It is a HEAVY and DIFFICULT read. 

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Content Warnings

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

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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 know what to say about this beyond what's already been said. This book ruined my life and offered a very helpful perspective on things in my own life. 

 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. 

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Content Warnings

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

sapphicsav's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

5.0

This is the second time I read A Little Life, and yet it was somehow even more devastating and poignant than the first. The prose is captivating and flows effortlessly. Jude, and all of them, are desperately loveable and constantly relatable. The book is perfectly titled. It is, for better or for worse, an arresting chronicle of a whole human life. It is graphic and physically painful to read, but it is worthwhile. We love people and it matters even if it is not enough. Read this book. You will be devastated, but not disappointed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Confinement, Death, Rape, Physical abuse, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Chronic illness, and Drug abuse

ioleari's review against another edition

challenging 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

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Content Warnings

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

kkgarrett's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

Something I haven’t seen in the discourse around this book is that it’s about neglect.

Of course explicitly in childhood. Even into adulthood, though, people with the ability to help Jude stop just short of providing adequate mental health services. My hot take is that Andy is a bad doctor!

Also bisexuals exist!!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Pedophilia, Self harm, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Blood, and Addiction