Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

763 reviews

nalinnvr'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Finally fucking finished this! This book is infuriating. Yes, emotional at times, but I did not shed a single tear, which I believe is because of how angry I was at the author throughout the whole thing.
It is somehow beautifully written and a complete disservice to society when it comes to mental health conditions at the same time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Do not read this books without reading through trigger warnings.

mouthy_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

My heart is aching.
(I will likely update my review once I've processed) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Blood, and Car accident

Moderate: Chronic illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

punkrockbenji's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• 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

2.0

Really, really well written, but devastatingly sad. Most characters remain mostly unchanged throughout the story, especially being over a 30 or more year time span. It felt like it was traumatic just for the sake of being traumatic, without any resolution or reprieve. Ending was totally expected and very much unwelcome. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

laurasilva149's review against another edition

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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

riceam's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, and Car accident

Moderate: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

spiralbody's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Incredibly beautiful writing but extremely difficult content. Not often a book makes me cry full tears while reading

ingiipingii's review

emotional 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

5.0

I’m completely baffled. This book has ripped out my heart and put it back in place so many times, over and over. It will stay with me for a very long time, it has left a lasting impression. I loved it, because I hated it just as much for making me feel so much. Truly a masterpiece. Thank you Hanya Yanagihara for sharing this incredible work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

carrierolling's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

4.0

This is one of those books that when I finished, I was glad to have read it; but the reading experience was difficult because of the subject matter as well as the editing, or lack there of. The unedited quality, I think, is intentional, as a life lived and it’s inner workings, especially for someone with CPTSD, is detail ridden, slow, hard to get through at times. I hear the criticisms of this book as trauma porn and respect them, but I would t go that far. I would say, rather, that the story is trauma ridden and that it’s intentionally asking us to stare into the face of it. It just doesn’t make for a great reading experience at times. It begs the question: is the author’s goal to create the art that asks us to face hardship in an immersive way a valuable one? If so, is it worth the loss of a more comfortable reading experience? As many readers would likely abandon such a work? Do we reach more readers if we make the art more palatable? Can the point still come across then?

The book has a lot of buzz, though, so perhaps it’s working.

The criticism that the diverse characters are more secondary and don’t have their own fleshed out arcs is valid. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

mindoflex's review against another edition

dark 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

A Little Life tackles heavy themes, including sexual abuse, self-harm, and suicide. While it offers moments of light through its exploration of male friendships and chosen families, the narrative becomes increasingly consumed by trauma. At times, this extremity crosses into what some readers would describe as “misery porn”, diluting the emotional impact and veering toward farce. Despite its beautiful prose and compelling character dynamics, I ultimately ended up disappointed by this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Ableism, Biphobia, Medical content, and Car accident

Minor: Homophobia, Vomit, and Death of parent

teashopgirl08's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail