Reviews

Une vie comme les autres by Hanya Yanagihara

kristinmarzullo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

It took me just around 3 months to read this, because I did myself the immense favor of taking breaks to process when the plot hit tough moments.

Yet as I closed this book today my heart felt paradoxically heavier and lighter.

Heavy—because Jude deserved to love himself the way others did. His life, though at moments unbearably hard, had so much love, such beauty and joy, and it hurt to know that while he felt glimpses of it, that warmth never fully penetrated his skin, it couldn’t break through his past and make him believe that he was worthy of everything he had received.

Lighter—because when you finish a book like this you close it, look back to beginning and realize the journey it took you on.

I believe at its core this story is about holding on to hope, friendship, and making meaning for ourselves when our existence hurts. Go into this knowing you will feel every up and down, you will question how Jude had the strength to go on at times, and at the end you will wish he would have held on just a little longer.

The only reason this wasn’t a full 5 stars for me is because I kept questioning if I needed so much in the beginning. I understand it, trust me I do, but the crux of the story begins about 100 pages in, so I feel as though the beginning could have been condensed to make space for what was to come.

ruekeyronay's review against another edition

no rating. I hate everything. worst decision of my life.

dewvi's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

3.5 or 4 ⭐

Enjoyed reading, but boy is it exhausting at times. It reminded me of the 2006 doc "The Bridge" oddly. Not sure if that's a positive or negative thing...

roganjoshwa's review against another edition

5.0

yknow when you get that headache from crying so much and paracetamol doesn't even touch it? yeah

leonwill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

bfarq1's review against another edition

4.0

It was a little slow. I decided to get it as an audiobook but I was able to listen at double speed and it sounded like normal because of the long pauses. Overall the book was quite depressing, though it was enjoyable it was often unbelievable.

emiliamaria's review against another edition

5.0

Do not read this book.

bethanyellen's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

jhoom's review against another edition

1.0

A masochist would love this. Took me months to finish reading and months to try to forget about it. Don’t understand why people constantly recommend this book, worst gift you could possibly give anyone. The writing is amazing and the hope for redemption is the only reason I finished it. Wish I didn’t though

laylareadseverything's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0