Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Małe życie by Hanya Yanagihara

2903 reviews

zyaise'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

2.0

I’ve seen mostly positive reviews so I thought it was worth it to give my two cents. The book is beautifully written, I thought the beginning was promising, but it got more dull as it went on, it seems as if the author wanted to fit as much trauma as possible, and while I do understand and know that this is the reality of some people, I feel like it falls flat, the trauma takes the main role over the actual characters, I guess that’s why I didn’t really connect with most of the characters. 

And here’s the thing, I think the plot twist was lazy, making Willem die first instead of Jude seems like such an overdone plot twist, making the healthy person die because it can happen to any of us, I get it, but I’ve seen it already in so many books and movies and shows that it has lost its impact, I would be more surprised at this point if the set up was predictable. And while Jude dies in the end, that also fell flat for me, it felt forced at that point.

Also, the triggers list is very very long and you should check it out before picking up this book, personally I don’t recommend it, I didn’t cry (mostly because I didn’t connect with the characters) and I didn’t enjoy it, even though it’s beautifully written and it’s certainly the portrayal of life, I just wish it would’ve been… more. I would’ve also loved it if the whole book was from Harold’s POV, I found his chapters to be the most touching, engaging and emotional. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Car accident, Mental illness, Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Emotional abuse, and Grief

soraydiant's review against another edition

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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Medical content, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

Moderate: Vomit, Cancer, and Ableism

kaitlyn_avecado's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

*Listened to audiobook*
This book is so endlessly devastating. It is an extremely challenging read, and I can understand how some folks could not/did not want to read the heavy traumatic content that fills this book. It brought me to tears more than any book ever has. Some of the tears were hopeful tears. Hot tears streamed down my face for the final few pages.
The characters are multi dimensional, and the writing is beautiful and captivating. You follow the lives of four men and their relationships with one another throughout decades of their lives. It's a tale of friendship and love and kindness and self worth and acceptance.
It has almost ever CW on the list, so if you choose to read, please take care of yourself. 

"I try to be kind, to everything I see. And in everything I see, I see him."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Addiction

emezde's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Death, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Grief, Pedophilia, Violence, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Car accident, Drug abuse, Addiction, Vomit, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail

cassmpt's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• 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

2.75

C'est beaucoup de traumas en un seul livre, l'histoire était pourtant bien partie, un groupe de quatre amis, la belle vie. Mais non, de plus l'autrice n'est pas renseignée sur les maladies telles que la dépression, qu'elle utilise tout le long du roman. Je pense que c'est une volonté de traumatiser ses lecteurs, il était tout de même bien écrit, l'intrigue était bonne mais trop de détails et TROP de tout en fait

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Suicide attempt, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Medical content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death, Grief, Rape, Dysphoria, and Pedophilia

sphjnx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Car accident and Death

hgullegrogan'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? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A Little Life is both genius--in the dimensionality of its characters and universe --and absolutely heartbreaking. This story emotionally destroyed me, but I believe that it will be one of the most impactful pieces I will ever read.

I'd first like to say that this book is extremely challenging to read due to the shocking, graphic content it contains. I would not recommend this story to anyone sensitive to graphic discussions of abuse, sexual violence, self mutilation, and suicide.

Despite the difficult content, Yanagihara has created a world and characters that are so authentic and believable that I feel that I have both known the characters and lived their lives--much like recalling my own memories.

Each of the primary 5 characters are governed by the false truths they learned as children. Jude's story is extreme, but the delineated parts of his life accentuate this idea.

A Little Life grants the reader both hope and desolation; that they have the power to instill goodness and happiness in others

'to an extent'. As much as we see the best in our loved ones, we cannot force them to see and believe it. We have the power to do our best for others, but it is ultimately their choice how they live. 

The despair I felt when I realized the meaning behind this book's title broke my heart. I feel as if I have mourned myself through Jude (though our lives couldn't be more dissimilar). Jude's sense of self is mauled and disfigured by his past--a past that he knows to be horrendous--yet he cannot untangle himself from it.

Although Jude eventually dies by suicide, his time with Willem during "the happy years" instills the importance of deep connection that we build with others. Willem is both a secondary character and the primary protagonist with how he inspires kindness and compassion.

Despite the initially slow pace, Yanagihara's writing is so poetic and beautiful that I was immediately transfixed by the story. If you can handle the graphic content, you will feel joy, hope, grief, inspiration, heart break, pride, contentment, and sorrow.

 You will feel as if you've lived a whole life within your own and grieved the loss of those you've never known. You will smile, laugh, and cry. You will likely see yourself or someone you know within these pages, and you will wonder what you can do better for those you love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Self harm, Rape, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Suicide

Moderate: Child death, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Trafficking

Minor: Death of parent, Vomit, and Drug abuse

gillespiehj1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

potatochips_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Physical abuse, Ableism, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Torture, Rape, and Domestic abuse

lindsayellison's review against another edition

Too heart breaking 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Pedophilia

Recommended if you would like 720 full, densely packed pages of utter devastation on the cruelties of child abuse and its effects into adulthood.