Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

1222 reviews

sanlisam's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

julells's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

3.0

I'm soooo conflicted about this book. First of all, I absolutely adore the writing style. However the topics are definitely very heavy and I feel some aspects, especially regarding mental health, are slightly unrealistic. Overall, I definitely knew what to expect getting into this book and got through it, but there's just something about it that doesn't quite sit right with me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer

gracielou1220's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.75

Crushed my heart and soul. Beautifully written and really loved the comples characters and how they lived their lives together. Very long and struggled a little in the earlier years. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, 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, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

elytong's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

I think about my life pre-A Little Life and post-A Little Life. A difficult book to read; had to put down the book at times just to breathe. Ideally to be surrounded by new and positive experiences/emotionally stable to read this but a must read for everyone, also ideally when one is in their mid-twenties I reckon. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Dysphoria

koranmc's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

tiamoore'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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Trafficking, and Suicide attempt

chefjeng's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I don't know where to start with this one. Why did I put myself through this? Fuck this book! Am I glad I read it? Yes. Would I ever recommend it to someone else? Hell no. 
I thoroughly enjoyed the depiction of deep friendship, love and loyalty but I did find the misery of Jude's life over wrought at times and ridiculous to the point of far fetched at points but the treatment of grief, self harm and the legacy and effects of childhood trauma and abuse is vivid, raw and well done. The prose is beautiful and I will probably read more by the author, but I need a break after this one!
Twice (after the adoption and the start of Jude and Willem's romantic relationship) I wanted the story to end to have at least some semblance of a happy ending, but that wasn't to be and somehow I kept going to the end. Self harm episode after self harm episode, gut wrenching story after gut wrenching story. 
The "gay men are all paedophiles or doomed to live depressing lives and die full of shame and misery" trope wearing at times but I loved Jude, and most of all I loved Willem so I stayed with them till the end. Would I do it again? Yes. Should I? No. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Dementia, Abandonment, and Alcohol

komiification's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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

I need to think about this because I was so tempted to give this 5 stars up until the ending.. So I have very conflicting feelings at the moment... 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer

krotis's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Intense, a little too intense at times especially as someone with a history of self-harm, and I was tempted to give it a lower rating, but the attachments it creates with its characters cause me to be lenient. The story also undergoes a drastic and frustrating shift in focus from being about four friends to just two, with mention of the other characters being only in passing. Good, but not as good as I had hoped. 3.5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

veritybel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

3.5

I honestly don’t know whether to give this book 1 or 5 stars, so I’ll go for a mid rating. 
I can’t deny that this book of beautifully written, I had to highlight so many sections of the book I wanted to re read and remember. 
The first half of the book I really enjoyed, I enjoyed learning about the characters and how they all came together and what they went through. Willam was a favourite for me, and his rocky relationship with Jude was another favourite part. 
But the second half of the book, when you learn about Jude’s past was too much for me. I saw someone describe it as “trauma porn,” and I think that’s a good description. So many things happen to Jude over and over again it gets so unrealistic and looses its impact. I would be VERY wary reading this book if you struggle with trauma or mental illness, it’s very detailed and the author does not dull down descriptions. 
The end of the book was heartbreaking, I was crying but the last chapter was so beautifully written. 
I will never read this book again and I try and not think about it…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent