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swynne's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Self harm, Rape, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Eating disorder, Drug use, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Stalking and Vomit
monaliest's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Biphobia, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Child death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Rape, Suicide, and Torture
pipchiappa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Yanagihara’s writing is so real, so raw, it’s truly beautiful work––but that means that her realism is so poignant, her descriptions are so graphic, her characters are so vivid.
Do I think it is trauma porn? A little. I do think it didn’t need so much, and some of it could have been left out.
Do I think it is overtly graphic? Yes, it is very graphic. It didn’t bother me as much as I know it has bothered some people, but I think that is purely because I am not a visual person and don’t visualise what I am reading. I never read 13 Reasons Why but I did watch the Tv show and I hated it because I did not think it needed to be that graphic; reading A Little Life did not give me that same reaction, even though Yanagihara’s writing is so real and so graphic. If you are a visual reader, I think you have to keep that in mind before reading the book.
The only reason I am giving this book 4 stars is because I did think, somewhere in the middle, that it was so loaded in trauma that it was becoming unbelievable and it wasn’t necessary. I think the book could have been just as poignant without it. But, to be clear, I did not hate this book. In fact, the opposite: I loved it and have already re-read some pages here and there. Partly because I am not ready to let go of the characters. The writing is stellar, the relationships built are vividly wonderful and relatable to some degree, the commentary on trauma and mental health and friendship is remarkable.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Car accident, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Medical content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gore, Medical trauma, and Suicidal thoughts
hardxstep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
karolaa's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Child death, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Car accident, Child abuse, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Slavery
ctama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Ableism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
thatbookishgem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body shaming, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
marley07's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Rape, and Sexual violence
zoebill96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, and Vomit
joyfayrweather's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Slavery
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, and Forced institutionalization