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luciaeve'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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
rantsandreads'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
5.0
The story follows Jude and his friends, focusing on his unbearable trauma and the deep wounds left behind by his past. Jude’s life is filled with horrors that feel insurmountable, and yet, there are moments of friendship and love that remind us of the fleeting happiness that can make the pain worth enduring. Still, like in life, the fight to overcome your demons isn’t always a battle that can be won.
What moved me the most was the perspective of parental figures near the end, an exquisitely painful reminder of the weight of care and loss. It was both devastating and beautiful, leaving me emotionally drained but appreciative of the journey. I cried—oh how I cried for nearly everyone through out this nearly impossible to read story. I had to continuously remind myself that it was fictional.
I am happy to have finished this book, but its impact will stay with me. Some stories imprint themselves onto your soul, and this one is unforgettable, much like the shadows we all carry.
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
rachel_emily22'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: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
emilyg433'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
cerysvy'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
mollymccreedy's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
This book should not be recommended lightly and people should absolutely be informed of what they're getting into before reading it.
At the time, I thought this was the best novel I had ever read, and I have a deep love and appreciation for that view, but the more I sit with this book and listen to what others have to say, I understand and appreciate how deeply troubling and harmful this book is. I was sobbing every 20 pages (no lie) and it took me MONTHS to get though this. It broke me in so many ways and it took me a long time to pick up another book after finishing this one.
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
I would absolutely not recommend this book to just anyone. Heck, I wouldn't recommend it to 99% of the people I know. I read this book not realizing what it was about and what the author has said about talk therapy. The description of this book is horribly misleading and the more I sit with the knowledge of what I read, the more I realize how deeply upsetting and deeply problematic this book is.selimhannah'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: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
brittastrophee's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
farahbear's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
For instance, her main character Jude is suffering but he has a support system. Most notably, his adoptive father Harold is there for him. But after noticing that Jude is in an abusive relationship, Harold just so happens to let him go back to his apartment to potentially get hurt again?? When it’s out of his character to do that? You could argue it’s a mistake, but I think because of how it’s written, it comes off only as a plot device to get Jude to suffer more.
Yanagihara is very careless with the reader’s emotions, her style is strong, but because of her atrocious plot structure and her attempts to make Jude a straw man, she ultimately sends a dangerous message to her audience. Additionally, she proudly claims that she has not done any research and it shows. This is especially concerning given that Jude is disabled while she herself is not. And I think if you’re going to write about a character that isn’t of your own community, you owe it to that community to write about them with respect.
Maybe I would’ve given this book 3 stars at the beginning, but once you get to the halfway mark, she neglects certain characters and starts to relentlessly hammer in her pessimism. You end up exhausted. She ultimately ends up sounding cartoonish as well, all in her attempt to tell the reader to give up. Some of Jude’s trauma is just tacked on too, compared to her previous attempts to flesh him out. And she proceeds to do this, and be repetitive, just to illustrate that some people (like Jude) aren’t worth saving. By the end, you feel apathetic, and I don’t think that’s a good thing.
Maybe I’m too optimistic, but I don’t want to ever EVER think that way about anyone and their suffering. I want to believe people can get better. In fact, despite how much suffering, I know people can. I’ve had serious depressive episodes, but usually, when I get to that point, I just want help. Relief. And that isn’t in the form of suicide. Most people are afraid.
So overall, it’s the book’s message that I can’t get behind.
Only credit I will give to the author is that her writing style is fairly accessible. But otherwise just fuck this book.
I urge anyone interested in this story to just not bother, and read something else. If you want a depressing read, I think there’s better books out there.
What makes a book good isn’t because of the depression and trauma involved. A book has to have downs and UPS. Otherwise, it’s not even an interesting story. I once wrote a play with almost the same level of trauma for class, and my screenwriting professor had to remind me that there’s need to be high points for a story to work. I think I didn’t get it at the time, because I used to equate pain with intellectualism. But I do understand now.
Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, Medical trauma, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Homophobia and Sexism
jjajangmel'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: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment