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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
I postponed reading this book for quite some time, patiently awaiting the sadness it would inevitable invoke in me, but I finally did it. The book weaves in and out of the various points of view of people who adored the protagonist, and while I appreciated the diversity in perspective, I wish that more weight would have been given to the lives of other characters. I believe that this book is viewed as such a painstakingly tragic novel because of Jude’s story, but I am saddened by it in the simple fact that so many people were hurt by an incredibly hurt person.
Edited: I think about this book all of the time. All of the time. Makes you feel something
Edited: I think about this book all of the time. All of the time. Makes you feel something
DNF at 20%
“You should read A Little Life,” was a recommendation I got more than once after expressing my love for Demon Copperhead. I added it to my TBR, but put off starting it—not just because of the length, but because the cover really gives me the ick. As it turns out, the cover was actually my face while reading this book!
The writing is undeniably gorgeous. But at 20%, I found myself weeping and physically sick after reading about the abuse of a five-year-old orphan. I wondered: Is this going to be worth it? It wasn’t the same kind of heartbreak as Demon Copperhead. This felt heavier—less like a story about trauma than an exercise in it. Your girl barely sleeps as it is, I don’t need to be up blubbering with a belly ache over my book.
I turned to the trusty reviews. The author reportedly set out to write a character “so broken he can’t be fixed” and then subjects him (and the reader) to unrelenting torture for 700+ pages because she can. I don’t mind a tragic story—give me social commentary or layered humanity and I’m in. But here, apparently despair is the point, and for that reason I’m out
“You should read A Little Life,” was a recommendation I got more than once after expressing my love for Demon Copperhead. I added it to my TBR, but put off starting it—not just because of the length, but because the cover really gives me the ick. As it turns out, the cover was actually my face while reading this book!
The writing is undeniably gorgeous. But at 20%, I found myself weeping and physically sick after reading about the abuse of a five-year-old orphan. I wondered: Is this going to be worth it? It wasn’t the same kind of heartbreak as Demon Copperhead. This felt heavier—less like a story about trauma than an exercise in it. Your girl barely sleeps as it is, I don’t need to be up blubbering with a belly ache over my book.
I turned to the trusty reviews. The author reportedly set out to write a character “so broken he can’t be fixed” and then subjects him (and the reader) to unrelenting torture for 700+ pages because she can. I don’t mind a tragic story—give me social commentary or layered humanity and I’m in. But here, apparently despair is the point, and for that reason I’m out
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
State of my soul: destroyed.
Edit: just read this for a second time and it hurt so different. Of course I was crying all over again but my reasons were very different.
This book breaks my heart so bad:
"His beautiful apartment, where he's always been safe. This is happening to him in his beautiful apartment, surrounded by his beautiful things. "
X equals X. X equals X. X equals X.
Edit: just read this for a second time and it hurt so different. Of course I was crying all over again but my reasons were very different.
This book breaks my heart so bad:
"His beautiful apartment, where he's always been safe. This is happening to him in his beautiful apartment, surrounded by his beautiful things. "
X equals X. X equals X. X equals X.
DNF - 22%
A Little Life has been a book I have come back to again and again — each time wondering if THIS is the time I will be able to get through it. I get further and further each time, but ultimately come to the conclusion that this book just isn’t for me.
And the thing is that I absolutely identify with aspects of each of the characters and I empathize with their stories. But maybe that’s just it, I understand it all too well and that’s what makes it hard for me to truck along.
Beautifully written and utterly heartbreaking, but it was too much for me to take in.
A Little Life has been a book I have come back to again and again — each time wondering if THIS is the time I will be able to get through it. I get further and further each time, but ultimately come to the conclusion that this book just isn’t for me.
And the thing is that I absolutely identify with aspects of each of the characters and I empathize with their stories. But maybe that’s just it, I understand it all too well and that’s what makes it hard for me to truck along.
Beautifully written and utterly heartbreaking, but it was too much for me to take in.
Oh man...so...I've been stuck with this book for weeks and I was really close to dnf-ing it a lot. I'm sorry, this just isn't doing it for me. Not that I don't get why people like it, I just didn't have a good reading experience and I found myself picking up every other book possible rather than wanting to continue this one.
finished reading in May and not a single day has passed that I haven’t thought about this book… as a reader I truly felt as though I was part of the story and getting to know each and every character personally - my heart is SHATTERED
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
The first part of this book is a solid 5. It is beautifully written and the characters are wonderful. But they never grow up. And what was sweet when they were in college was enabling and selfish in adulthood. I was so angry that by page 500 I was skimming. I’m sure the remainder of the writing was beautiful but I just wanted to see how it would end. Even though I knew. And I now I regret the 800 pages.