Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Małe życie by Hanya Yanagihara

208 reviews

_hiitsstella's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

3.5

I hate that I like this book, I can't help but look back on this story through rose-tinted glasses. Obviously I refuse to actually re-open the book because I know I would quickly prove myself wrong, forcing me into misery. This book is torture porn in pretty packaging; the writing is lovely, but the content is gruesome and often nauseating. I would not recommend reading this, I know however, that those determined to seek out and consume this type of content will do so despite numerous warnings. Check the trigger warnings, the list is never-ending.

This book feels like a form of trauma-bonding (not in the way social media defines trauma-bonding, but the actual psychological phenomena) the book hurts you, and yet you never want to let it go. It (dare I say) traumatizes you, and you end up bonded with it, seeing aspects of it in your day-to-day life for months after you've put the book away.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, Violence, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Torture, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Death, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Alcohol

megannicolemay_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

Not for the faint of heart. I don't remember the last time I sobbed this hard, certainly not over a piece of literature. 

Hanya  Yanagihara writes the brotherhood of male friendship so beautifully, without a lens of toxic masculinity, the way male friendships truly are. Amongst the sorrows, there is so much psychological take away from this read, about the way we perceive ourselves in comparison to how others view us, the beauty of the mundane, and the inability to let go of grief.

However to any readers going into this book blind, check trigger and content warnings before getting into it. This book was far more graphic and content heavy than I originally anticipated even with being aware of some of the triggers contained in the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Death, Body shaming, Car accident, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Mental illness

valeryv99's review against another edition

sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.5

First half wasn’t my favorite but I can see why she does it. It’s to build up the character. Definitely a heavy read and will make you feel some type of way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Suicide, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Rape, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt

honipoems's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

I’m still traumatized but as I’m still obsessed it has to be a very high star ratings. it needs all the trigger warning you can think about but I’m still thinking about it. I don’t know if I want to leave this book behind me to never see it again or if I want to read it again one day.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Self harm, Rape, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Pedophilia

becphe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Devastating and so good.  The characters rich and complicated. The relationships felt genuine.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Self harm, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Torture, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Mental illness, Body horror, Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, Confinement, Vomit, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Violence, Outing, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Confinement, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Kidnapping, Infidelity, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

delisouseyelids's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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

WHY IS IT SO SAD

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Car accident, Drug use, Sexual content, Sexism, Racism, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Self harm, Rape, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Classism, Homophobia, Gore, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Ableism, Death of parent, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Addiction, Bullying, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Medical trauma, and Medical content

angielivesandbreathes's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Rape, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, Death, Kidnapping, Cursing, Hate crime, Vomit, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Child death, Outing, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Ableism

carla20's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Death, Alcohol, Blood, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Child abuse, Ableism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Car accident, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

bronaghd07's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Rape, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Pedophilia, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Gore, Self harm, Sexual violence, Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Suicide, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

Moderate: Drug abuse, Abandonment, Drug use, Racism, and Alcohol

mhjmojo'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

5.0

Holy. F*ck.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Chronic illness, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Homophobia, Body shaming, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Physical abuse, Self harm, Alcoholism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Violence, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Alcohol, Blood, Suicide, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, and Suicidal thoughts