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aclancy974's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Graphic: Dysphoria, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Confinement, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Abandonment, Addiction, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Car accident, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Islamophobia
caitlin_d89's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Dysphoria, Blood, Ableism, Medical content, Gaslighting, Confinement, Body shaming, Abandonment, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Self harm, Torture, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Rape, Trafficking, Suicide, Mental illness, Gore, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Body horror, Incest, and Child abuse
Minor: Cancer, Car accident, Gaslighting, Addiction, Bullying, Gore, Biphobia, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Incest, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, and Kidnapping
jessiemcg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Every time I put it down, I didn’t want to pick it up again. On reflection - doesn’t it say something that writing can evoke such a reaction?
Graphic: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Homophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Addiction, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Death, Gaslighting, Torture, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, and Medical trauma
lisadejonge05_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
All its 800 pages are filled with sadness, tears and trauma, punchin you in the gut. I think about Jude every single day, these characters feel like family and I refused to let them leave me after finishing this monstrosity of a book. Hanya Yanighara is a true treasure, really being able to make you feel with her words. This was hard to read, but it was all worth it.
Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Suicide
alycnsuha's review against another edition
- 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
Honestly I still got confused about who's the author talking about until the 3rd chapters but nvm. The plot was actually good I love how details the stories are. But I think the ending is a little uhh cliffhanging(??) since they didn't actually tell what happened to Jude that made him became 👼🏻👼🏻
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Car accident, Eating disorder, Deadnaming, Gore, Grief, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
dana_21857's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A few days ago, I was at 50% then, I heard someone saying they wouldn't ever read this book, because they knew the plot and it's "trauma porn about gay men written by a woman".
This description infuriates me and makes it so blatantly clear that she didn't know, not really, what this book is about.
I found myself relating to Jude in aspects no one should, yet many of us do.
The way these characters are written they feel so real, so complex, so human, that I checked several times if this really wasn't some kind of auto biography.
The writing is so beautiful, that I now don't dare to call myself a writer because I do not compare to what lies before me in that book. Most authors don't.
The title couldn't be more fitting. It really is a little life. A life so many of us endure.
It captures the depth, power and possibilities that human relationships hold beautifully.
When I find the emotional capacity I'll read it again and annotate it.
Would I recommend this book to everyone? No, definitely not.
To experience this book the way it is meant to, the way I believe I have, is to feel the story without drowning in it.
Someone in the depths of their struggle with trauma, sh, eds or bipolar shouldn't read this.
This book is graphic, emotionally and also about the physical aspects. Just like life is. It doesn't censor. Just like life doesn't.
As someone who has been in therapy for all those topics over the last 6 years, I am shocked at how accurate it depicts mental illness, trauma, specifically dissesociation and cptsd and the addiction that sh provides.
I feel deeply for Jude, and I see myself in him. Of how my life could've gone and could still go.
This book is as raw, unapologetic and unfair as life is and leaves us, the reader, aching, wondering, unbelieving.
This book is perfect in every way and I will forever be greatful to have experienced it. Looking forward to my second read.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Chronic illness, Rape, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Sexual assault
rainreading's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Kidnapping, Medical content, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gore, Car accident, Grief, and Body shaming
healingfish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Suicide, Child death, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Chronic illness, Death, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Violence
bookshelfhannah's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Drug use, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Body horror, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexual harassment, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Ableism, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Hate crime, and Medical content
fpcat99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Car accident, Body shaming, Grief, Pedophilia, Medical content, Bullying, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Vomit, Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Rape, Addiction, Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Sexual content, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Sexual violence, Torture, Abandonment, Child abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Violence