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fivethirtypm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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
Deeply resonant as someone who lives with chronic pains and mental illness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Self harm, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Suicide, Rape, Child death, Car accident, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Drug use
rawanslibrary's review against another edition
4.0
i hate this book......
it took me 2 months and 20 days to finish but it destroyed me
it took me 2 months and 20 days to finish but it destroyed me
kwils90's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
2.0
This book could’ve been 300 pages.
maycayo's review against another edition
5.0
Me gustó mucho! Muchos nudos en la garganta, lloré 4 veces y al final del libro también:(
llittleton419's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
rachaelwinterling's review against another edition
5.0
A Little Life is, hands down, the best book I have ever read. As a character-driven book, this is the story of Jude's life, and those who love him the most, over the span of several decades. If follows their special moments, hardships and obstacles, personal achievements, and psychological development. It highlights the ebbs and flows of friendship and what keeps people together. This book is a stunningly accurate portrayal of the impacts that severe trauma, victimization, and exploitation make on a person's mental health, relationships, self-image, and future. It recognizes the beauty of a life only a survivor can live, without undermining with the waves of excruciating and unrelenting suffering and hopelessness they can experience. It recognizes that trauma doesn't just impact the survivor, but the people that surround them by extension.
I want to address the controversy of this book right off the bat: while I understand this book is not for everyone, some of the criticism I have seen is, at least in my opinion, completely and totally unwarranted. Trauma is exactly that – trauma. It is ugly, and painful, and embarrassing, and, in Jude’s own words, grotesque. While this book is known for is graphic depictions, as an advocate who regularly worked with victims of crimes like human sex trafficking, I can guarantee you this book does not go nearly in enough detail to be classified as “trauma-porn,” as some reviewers suggest. Truth is, victims of abuse don't get to close the book, put it down, and walk away. Sex abuse is so prevalent, in fact, that each and every one of you reading this review likely knows a survivor whether you are aware of it or not. So, saying things like “this book should have never been written,” completely undermines the representation this book offers, and further stigmatizes the very real human experiences described in this book by discounting the benefit an accurate portrayal of self-harm can have (especially for those who have loved ones that engage in such negative coping mechanisms).
Perhaps, as a victim advocate, I appreciate this book more than the average reader. I'll admit, there is no handholding here. There is no mercy within these pages. This is a difficult book. But it is also a very worthy book.
Look, if you’ve been on bookstagram for any amount of time, you’ve seen this book. You know this book. Even if you haven’t read it, you know the general concept and critiques. You’ve seen the pain this book can cause. So I’m going to get really specific about my favorite part of this book.
The Axiom of Equality:
“The axiom of equality states that x always equals x: it assumes that if you have a conceptual thing named x, that it must always be equivalent to itself, that it has a uniqueness about it, that it is in possession of something so irreducible that we must assume it is absolutely, unchangeably equivalent to itself for all time, that its very elementalness can never be altered. But it is impossible to prove. Always, absolutes, nevers: these are the words, as much as numbers, that make up the world of mathematics.”
To me, this excerpt speaks to, and is a representation of, our humanity. We as human beings are inherently valuable. No matter how simple or complex the equation is around us, we can always trust nothing can change that or take that away from us.
That’s why this concept perfectly encapsulates what the lens of mental illness and depression can do to our self-perception. Jude took this and saw the exact opposite:
“But now he knows for certain how true the axiom is, because he himself––his very life––has proven it. The person I was will always be the person I am, he realizes. The context may have changed: he may be in this apartment, and he may have a job that he enjoys and that pays him well, and he may have parents and friends he loves. He may be respected; in court, he may even be feared. But fundamentally, he is the same person, a person who inspires disgust, a person meant to be hated.”
If you take anything away from this post, I hope it’s this: no matter how complicated of a situation you find yourself in, no matter how lost you feel in your surroundings, no matter what has been done to you… you are valuable and worthy. Your light cannot be diminished based on your circumstances or other people’s choices. I’m so glad you’re here
I want to address the controversy of this book right off the bat: while I understand this book is not for everyone, some of the criticism I have seen is, at least in my opinion, completely and totally unwarranted. Trauma is exactly that – trauma. It is ugly, and painful, and embarrassing, and, in Jude’s own words, grotesque. While this book is known for is graphic depictions, as an advocate who regularly worked with victims of crimes like human sex trafficking, I can guarantee you this book does not go nearly in enough detail to be classified as “trauma-porn,” as some reviewers suggest. Truth is, victims of abuse don't get to close the book, put it down, and walk away. Sex abuse is so prevalent, in fact, that each and every one of you reading this review likely knows a survivor whether you are aware of it or not. So, saying things like “this book should have never been written,” completely undermines the representation this book offers, and further stigmatizes the very real human experiences described in this book by discounting the benefit an accurate portrayal of self-harm can have (especially for those who have loved ones that engage in such negative coping mechanisms).
Perhaps, as a victim advocate, I appreciate this book more than the average reader. I'll admit, there is no handholding here. There is no mercy within these pages. This is a difficult book. But it is also a very worthy book.
Look, if you’ve been on bookstagram for any amount of time, you’ve seen this book. You know this book. Even if you haven’t read it, you know the general concept and critiques. You’ve seen the pain this book can cause. So I’m going to get really specific about my favorite part of this book.
The Axiom of Equality:
“The axiom of equality states that x always equals x: it assumes that if you have a conceptual thing named x, that it must always be equivalent to itself, that it has a uniqueness about it, that it is in possession of something so irreducible that we must assume it is absolutely, unchangeably equivalent to itself for all time, that its very elementalness can never be altered. But it is impossible to prove. Always, absolutes, nevers: these are the words, as much as numbers, that make up the world of mathematics.”
To me, this excerpt speaks to, and is a representation of, our humanity. We as human beings are inherently valuable. No matter how simple or complex the equation is around us, we can always trust nothing can change that or take that away from us.
That’s why this concept perfectly encapsulates what the lens of mental illness and depression can do to our self-perception. Jude took this and saw the exact opposite:
“But now he knows for certain how true the axiom is, because he himself––his very life––has proven it. The person I was will always be the person I am, he realizes. The context may have changed: he may be in this apartment, and he may have a job that he enjoys and that pays him well, and he may have parents and friends he loves. He may be respected; in court, he may even be feared. But fundamentally, he is the same person, a person who inspires disgust, a person meant to be hated.”
If you take anything away from this post, I hope it’s this: no matter how complicated of a situation you find yourself in, no matter how lost you feel in your surroundings, no matter what has been done to you… you are valuable and worthy. Your light cannot be diminished based on your circumstances or other people’s choices. I’m so glad you’re here
seades's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I will never be the same after reading this book. I do not recommend anyone else read it. 5/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Mental illness, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Abandonment, Self harm, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Ableism, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, and Trafficking
ximesolisg's review against another edition
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
5.0
littlelibraryofsky's review against another edition
3.0
Undoubtedly, the book captures unsettling, triggering, raw writing. However, the length feels excessive. So excessive that it gets boring and often repetitive. I found myself getting interested in the book not until a little more than halfway through (and that's with the book being over 800 pages long)
There's so much to say about this book, but I'm going to leave it at that. I would say for those undeterred by its length, the slow/repetitive/depressing moments, then go ahead and read it.
There's so much to say about this book, but I'm going to leave it at that. I would say for those undeterred by its length, the slow/repetitive/depressing moments, then go ahead and read it.
jeglenn's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was so good, but man was it emotional. I don't usually read this genre of book, but it sucked me in completely from page 1 and I couldn't put it down.