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rbleiweis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Had to take a few hours after finishing the book before I sat down to review because the last chapter was genuinely beautiful — maybe Yanagihara’s best of the entire novel. It certainly moved (manipulated?) me to tears. She is undeniably a talented writer, it’s a shame she is so obsessed with trauma, self-harm, and sadism.
This is a book for people who do not believe in therapy (written by one of those people ). The Cheesecake Factory-length menu of horrific traumas placed on the shoulders of a single character is not only perverse and merciless, it’s fantastical and ridiculous. Sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, pedophilia, forced prostitution, kidnapping, torture, disease, PTSD, starvation, and self-harm (I think I got them all but I am genuinely not sure) of course exist, but all in one person? Give me a fucking break!
I think a good book exists within the behemoth she published, but I can see no good reason for its length beyond trying to plunge you into the same depression as her tortured lead. The ending is so inevitable that countless undulations of hope and despair do no more than waste your time. Maybe the worst of it all is that Jude is somehow, after 800+ pages, an underdeveloped character. He is wholly and completely defined by his trauma -- because that is what Yanagihara intended. She’d probably argue that he is also defined by those who love him — meaning the by and large saintlike secondary characters lacking nuance of their own. It concerns me that the love she wants you to take away from this book (and sob over) only exists in the context of life support (an observation I’m repeating from this piece that I can’t get out of my head).
Finally, the profundity of Howard and others coming to terms with their own selfishness in trying to keep alive someone who does not want to be is drastically undermined when you realize Yanagihara is doing the very same thing without apology. In fact, it’s seemingly her style — a steadfast determination to avoid levity and force her readers to face the “monstrous” world we live in. It’s concerning to me that so many people have confused this for depth.
TL;DR — don’t buy this hype on this book and if you do, consider therapy <3
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
bookworm451'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, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Car accident
evalolitah'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
tessakooijmans's review
- 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: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
chethawleyz'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: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Abandonment
Just….read the warnings. And believe them.idrkthem'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
4.0
ainda que tenha se arrastado em algumas partes, por vezes pouco interessantes, o livro é espetacular em geral. senti que JB e Malcolm ficaram muito em segundo plano, quando mereciam ter mais destaque. JB não merecia ter sido representado somente como um babaca que só liga para si mesmo, a história dele com o vício deveria ter sido trabalhada mais, e a confusão de Malcolm sobre a sua sexualidade não levou à nada; casou com uma mulher, mencionada vez ou outra, e serviu somente como personagem de apoio até o momento em que morreu. também tenho minhas ressalvas com o relacionamento de Jude e Willem, pois sinto que foi – e odeio ter que dizer isso – mal-trabalhado. uma hora Willem sentiu atração por ele, sem que soubéssemos que ele também sentia atração por homens, e começaram a namorar, pularam direto para a parte que eles já estavam juntos, para só depois contarem como foi o pedido de fato. muitas das vezes, essa narrativa não-linear era bem interessante, mas aqui senti que foi muito mal-colocada.
o protagonista da história é de fato o Jude, não todos os quatro como inicialmente pensei, o que quebrou minha expectativa, claro, pois queria saber mais de Malcolm, JB e Willem, que pareciam mais estar sendo deixados de lado na história em detrimento de Jude ter mais momentos. A construção de Jude foi muito intensa de acompanhar, com seus altos e baixos, picos e vales, como uma montanha-russa. os abusos, a autoinfligência, as dores crônicas, e até o luto, tudo isso fez dele um personagem extremamente interessante de acompanhar, e não era difícil torcer por ele; para que enfim melhorasse.
nutro um carinho especial pelo Harold e Julia, que viveram mais que diversos personagens; pelo Andy, que sempre ajudou, e dava sermões quando necessário, e Ana, que causou um impacto, por mais curta que tenha sido sua aparição na história.
o relacionamento de Jude e Willem fora bem-construído depois de um tempo.
o final me destruiu de diversas formas – Jude se recusando a comer, passando fome a fim de se reencontrar com Willem e, alguns anos depois, se reencontrando com ele em sua morte, por mais forte que fosse minha torcida por ele.
quanto mais penso na história, mais percebo que o que não gostei é mínimo quando comparado ao todo. uma leitura forte, e portanto, impactante, independente das minhas ressalvas.
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
kari_f's review against another edition
4.5
Check the trigger warnings because this book has all of them. Okay, may not ALL of them, but most of them.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
kayarosee'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: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Child death and Car accident
tylivreformed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
danamarielanuti's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment