Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

2452 reviews

krotis'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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Intense, a little too intense at times especially as someone with a history of self-harm, and I was tempted to give it a lower rating, but the attachments it creates with its characters cause me to be lenient. The story also undergoes a drastic and frustrating shift in focus from being about four friends to just two, with mention of the other characters being only in passing. Good, but not as good as I had hoped. 3.5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

evalolitah'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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

gabbygrobler's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

veritybel's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.5

I honestly don’t know whether to give this book 1 or 5 stars, so I’ll go for a mid rating. 
I can’t deny that this book of beautifully written, I had to highlight so many sections of the book I wanted to re read and remember. 
The first half of the book I really enjoyed, I enjoyed learning about the characters and how they all came together and what they went through. Willam was a favourite for me, and his rocky relationship with Jude was another favourite part. 
But the second half of the book, when you learn about Jude’s past was too much for me. I saw someone describe it as “trauma porn,” and I think that’s a good description. So many things happen to Jude over and over again it gets so unrealistic and looses its impact. I would be VERY wary reading this book if you struggle with trauma or mental illness, it’s very detailed and the author does not dull down descriptions. 
The end of the book was heartbreaking, I was crying but the last chapter was so beautifully written. 
I will never read this book again and I try and not think about it…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent

tessakooijmans's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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

5.0

What did I just read?

Jude deserves so much better, rest in peace<3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

venus503's review against another edition

So well-written, but I’m nearing the end and it’s really just depression porn. I can’t do it anymore. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

iduhmoose's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Never sobbed while reading until I read this book. The first half is slow but essential in building a relationship with the characters. There were plenty of heart wrenching moments.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

sineadlgull's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Made me weep many times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

idrkthem's review against another edition

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

4.0

o livro é um retrato da amizade adulta e de como ela se transforma ao longos dos anos, a distância, ainda que haja um carinho e preocupação mútuos, como o rio da vida, influenciado por tantos agentes, molda nosso entendimento do mundo, nosso sofrimento, nossa compaixão, nosso entendimento individual. 

ainda que tenha se arrastado em algumas partes, por vezes pouco interessantes, o livro é espetacular em geral. senti que JB e Malcolm ficaram muito em segundo plano, quando mereciam ter mais destaque. JB não merecia ter sido representado somente como um babaca que só liga para si mesmo, a história dele com o vício deveria ter sido trabalhada mais, e a confusão de Malcolm sobre a sua sexualidade não levou à nada; casou com uma mulher, mencionada vez ou outra, e serviu somente como personagem de apoio até o momento em que morreu. também tenho minhas ressalvas com o relacionamento de Jude e Willem, pois sinto que foi – e odeio ter que dizer isso – mal-trabalhado. uma hora Willem sentiu atração por ele, sem que soubéssemos que ele também sentia atração por homens, e começaram a namorar, pularam direto para a parte que eles já estavam juntos, para só depois contarem como foi o pedido de fato. muitas das vezes, essa narrativa não-linear era bem interessante, mas aqui senti que foi muito mal-colocada.

o protagonista da história é de fato o Jude, não todos os quatro como inicialmente pensei, o que quebrou minha expectativa, claro, pois queria saber mais de Malcolm, JB e Willem, que pareciam mais estar subjugados na história em detrimento de Jude ter mais momentos. A construção de Jude foi muito intensa de acompanhar, com seus altos e baixos, picos e vales, como uma montanha-russa. os abusos, a autoinfligência, as dores crônicas, e até o luto, tudo isso fez dele um personagem extremamente interessante de acompanhar, e não era difícil torcer por ele; para que enfim melhorasse. 

nutro um carinho especial pelo Harold e Julia, que viveram mais que diversos personagens; pelo Andy, que sempre ajudou, e dava sermões quando necessário, e Ana, que causou um impacto, por mais curta que tenha sido sua aparição na história.

o relacionamento de Jude e Willem fora bem-construído depois de um tempo. 

o final me destruiu de diversas formas – Jude se recusando a comer, passando fome a fim de se reencontrar com Willem e, alguns anos depois, se reencontrando com ele em sua morte, por mais forte que fosse minha torcida por ele. 

quanto mais penso na história, mais percebo que o que não gostei é mínimo quando comparado ao todo. uma leitura forte, e portanto, impactante, independente das minhas ressalvas.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

kari_f's review against another edition

4.5

Hands down the absolute saddest book I’ve read in my entire life. I cried an excessive number of times, and will be thinking about this book for a long while. 

Check the trigger warnings because this book has all of them. Okay, may not ALL of them, but most of them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail