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dessa_sc'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Acho que ouvi tanta gente falando de como era muito triste o livro, que ao ler me senti meio anestesiada. O final me deixou bem abalada por ser um ponto que me toca profundamento. Sempre penso em como as pessoas ficam ao perder alguém extremamente importante.
karinasuzanne's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Devastating to say the least. I know these characters. They feel real. A big out going out to all the Harold’s out there. You did a great job. There’s nothing more you could’ve done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide, and Pedophilia
akenes_valdemar's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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
signe_l's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
4.5
vinise'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
3.0
elliehamilton38's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.75
cfrankie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
shuyanisreading's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.0
readinghoneybee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- 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
After finishing A Little Life and taking the time to collect my thoughts, I don’t recommend this book. This book has made me feel so angry, I dreaded picking it up to continue reading. I read horror books and can handle the gore and suspense that genre brings but A Little Life made me feel miserable and affected my mood for the entire day on the days I read it. The author’s goal was to hurt the reader and provoke sadness and she succeeded. I was emotionally impacted, the book did its job. I was exhausted, it was a traumatic read. Do not take the recommendations for this book lightly. It’s a novel that explores the absolute worst of mankind, how mental health affects your everyday and those around you, friendships and relationships, how anything can happen at any given moment and the reality and struggles of grief.
A Little Life surpasses fiction. It’s a very real and raw account of how childhood trauma can result in severe mental health issues and depressive episodes in adulthood and can affect romantic, platonic and family relationships. There is no rest from the trauma and sadness, it gets worse the more you read which reflects the real life of people struggling everyday. The characters had a lot of depth and you explore their lives over the course of the book, building rapport and watching them grow into adults. I was constantly thinking of Jude and anxious for him. I wanted to give him the biggest hug and tell him that everything’s okay but I felt helpless. Although, it was hard to figure out whose point of view I was reading because it’s written in third person and all chapters start with “he”. It took me out of the story at the start of an every new chapter.
Do not fear you are missing out by not reading this book. I have a problem with how much this book was recommended on social media. It’s so sensationalised that people are posting videos of them breaking down and having full meltdowns over this book for likes and views and there is some kind of cult mentality of the ‘shared trauma’ this reading experience brings. I realise by posting this, it’s part of the problem but be wary and please read the trigger warnings. Every worst thing your mind can think of is in this book and it goes into graphic detail. I will not be giving it a rating as I don’t think that’s fair. The prose of writing the author chose and how it was written was beautiful but the content is heavy on the heart and mind. It’s a talking point for sure and all pieces of literature, media and art should spark critical conversation.
finchm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.25