Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

1256 reviews

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I would like to start this off by saying what the f**k, Hanya Yanagihara?!?! The writing of this book is done wonderfully, it paints images in the readers head…. However, the images it paints ?!?! FOUL!! The book is HEAVY. 
The entire book is a trigger warning for…  possibly everything. Not sure what the best method of reading this book is, quickly so it’s done faster? Slowly so you’re not horribly emotionally wrecked everyday? Or… hear me out… not  reading it at all. I read this book as a challenge to myself (LOL) because everyone was saying “it’s so good”, “you need a therapist to read this”, “whole thing is a trigger warning”…. They weren’t lying (besides the “it’s so good” part). 

I will give it to Hanya Yanagihara, she is phenomenal writer. I just felt like the book had WAY too much trauma happening for one person. Everytime I thought to myself “surely, this is it”…. IT WASN’T. Maybe I wasn’t the audience for this book (surely, I wasn’t the audience for this book). Would I recommend it? Maybe BUT not without fully warning the person and making sure they are in an emotionally stable position in their life. 

It’s been nearly a week since I finished the book and I still think about it. I fear that I won’t be the same after having read this. Is there an emotional support group for A Little Life readers? 

I’m not even sure how to rate this book…. The writing, great! The words written, I’m at a standstill. 

Do what you will with me review, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Honestly, this book just adds on more and more trauma to the main character that I find it hard to believe. Even though I know real people suffer this much, this just pushed my belief suspension past its limits. It's also not as poetic as people seem to think it is, it's prose is fine, but not enchanting. If anything its disenchanting how graphic and detailed all the incidents are. 
I don't recommend this book, especially for anyone with a history of mental health struggles. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark 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: Complicated

This book was like breathing. Both painfully and beautifully.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

An extremely difficult read, however I give it 5 stars as it is so well written and will live with me forever. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

I didn't cry as everyone mentioned I would. But I did cry that I spent so much of my life reading this book. It was just a sad story that didn't end. It could have been 200-300 pages shorter.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings