Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

3697 reviews

viet_huongie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Car accident, and Suicide attempt

kayak77's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Suicide, Blood, and Abandonment

nia_estelle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Suicide attempt

jadealyssa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, and Suicide attempt

jennnareads333's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use

Minor: Addiction and Car accident

geoneo2001's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

azulmuller's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

thgrsnstn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I have no words that can adequately express the beauty of this book. It was a wonderful, painful privilege to read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Take the content warnings seriously. I mean it. I didn’t and, while I am doing okay, I had to bring this book up in therapy.

amyvl93's review

dark emotional reflective sad 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

2.75

Nothing makes me feel older than seeing the internet reaction to A Little Life shift from it being discussed as a masterpiece to being almost cancelled for its portrayal of its main character. After my Mum insisted that I read this, I decided to finally take the plunge, in case January wasn't depressing enough.

For anyone who somehow hasn't come across this novel, A Little Life in theory follows a group of four men from their time at college together through their adulthood. However as the novel progresses we zero in on Jude, who is source of mystery to his friends and whose traumatic past and present becomes the focal point of the novel.

I came away from A Little Life feeling confused. It is indisputable that Yanagihara is exceptionally talented at characterisation. The central friendship group in particular - Willem, JB and Malcolm feel incredibly real, as does the slightly rareified art scene they all exist in do. I also really liked Harold and Julia, and how they form a chosen family relationship with Jude. The detail and complexity that Yanighara built into the interactions of all the characters felt both raw and true.

However. And it is a big however. I found the exploration of Jude's trauma and his experience to be unremittingly dark. Whilst I don't buy the complaint that it is unrealistic - as unfortunately cycles of abuse are true and exist - I will say it felt overly heightened. I felt that Yanighara dwelled on descriptions that did not need to have that much time spent on them. Others have said this and I agree that the complete dearth of hope and optimism in this novel made it hard to read - and noting that Yanighara has since said that she actively wanted to write a protaganist that never gets better left me wondering what readers are supposed to take from this other than exhaustion. When the final removal of hope happened in this novel I came close to slamming it down.

I also found Jude a hard protagonist to invest in. He has access to an insane amount of resources, is apparently the most gifted man to walk the planet (can bake and sing exceptionally, in addition to being an exceptional and morally bad lawyer) and exceptionally attractive but seemingly won't take responsibility for trying to address his trauma until it is frankly too late. The novel standing by him, whilst treating others who had also felt loss (such as death of family members, addiction etc) as needing to just get it together felt confusing tonally to me.

I can totally understand why A Little Life caused such as stir when it was first released, but I hope for books in the future that can tackle both the light and the dark that make up human lives.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Car accident

juliesmm'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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail