What the community thinks
summary of 6095 ratings (see reviews)
Content warnings
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Graphic
Self harm (129 reviewers), Child abuse (118 reviewers), Rape (103 reviewers), Physical abuse (103 reviewers), Suicide (103 reviewers), Suicidal thoughts (100 reviewers), Pedophilia (96 reviewers), Sexual assault (93 reviewers), Sexual violence (87 reviewers), Emotional abuse (87 reviewers), Mental illness (77 reviewers), Death (74 reviewers), Domestic abuse (68 reviewers), Adult/minor relationship (64 reviewers), Chronic illness (57 reviewers), Grief (51 reviewers), Blood (50 reviewers), Violence (49 reviewers), Eating disorder (49 reviewers), Toxic relationship (48 reviewers), Suicide attempt (39 reviewers), Drug abuse (39 reviewers), Panic attacks/disorders (38 reviewers), Kidnapping (35 reviewers), Addiction (34 reviewers), Ableism (34 reviewers), Medical trauma (32 reviewers), Medical content (32 reviewers), Trafficking (32 reviewers), Drug use (30 reviewers), Body shaming (28 reviewers), Sexual content (27 reviewers), Torture (23 reviewers), Bullying (20 reviewers), Child death (19 reviewers), Forced institutionalization (19 reviewers), Confinement (18 reviewers), Vomit (16 reviewers), Terminal illness (14 reviewers), Body horror (14 reviewers), Car accident (13 reviewers), Gore (8 reviewers), Alcoholism (6 reviewers), Religious bigotry (6 reviewers), Cursing (6 reviewers), Hate crime (6 reviewers), Homophobia (5 reviewers), Death of parent (5 reviewers), Biphobia (3 reviewers), Slavery (2 reviewers), Dementia (2 reviewers), Racial slurs (1 reviewer), Cancer (1 reviewer), Racism (1 reviewer), and Excrement (1 reviewer)Moderate
Addiction (22 reviewers), Drug abuse (18 reviewers), Drug use (14 reviewers), Ableism (11 reviewers), Child death (10 reviewers), Eating disorder (8 reviewers), Suicide (8 reviewers), Death (8 reviewers), Vomit (7 reviewers), Toxic relationship (6 reviewers), Rape (6 reviewers), Suicidal thoughts (6 reviewers), Emotional abuse (6 reviewers), Violence (5 reviewers), Sexual assault (5 reviewers), Forced institutionalization (5 reviewers), Homophobia (4 reviewers), Suicide attempt (4 reviewers), Car accident (4 reviewers), Sexual violence (4 reviewers), Physical abuse (4 reviewers), Child abuse (4 reviewers), Blood (4 reviewers), Pedophilia (4 reviewers), Grief (3 reviewers), Bullying (3 reviewers), Chronic illness (3 reviewers), Self harm (3 reviewers), Racism (3 reviewers), Body shaming (3 reviewers), Adult/minor relationship (3 reviewers), Mental illness (3 reviewers), Medical trauma (2 reviewers), Alcoholism (2 reviewers), Torture (2 reviewers), Medical content (2 reviewers), Panic attacks/disorders (2 reviewers), Kidnapping (2 reviewers), Cursing (2 reviewers), Confinement (2 reviewers), Domestic abuse (2 reviewers), Dementia (2 reviewers), Body horror (2 reviewers), Sexual content (1 reviewer), Racial slurs (1 reviewer), Terminal illness (1 reviewer), Trafficking (1 reviewer), Cancer (1 reviewer), Infidelity (1 reviewer), Biphobia (1 reviewer), Fatphobia (1 reviewer), Death of parent (1 reviewer), and Xenophobia (1 reviewer)Minor
Vomit (9 reviewers), Homophobia (6 reviewers), Biphobia (5 reviewers), Drug abuse (4 reviewers), Addiction (3 reviewers), Bullying (3 reviewers), Child death (3 reviewers), Drug use (3 reviewers), Racism (3 reviewers), Rape (3 reviewers), Cancer (2 reviewers), Eating disorder (2 reviewers), Fatphobia (2 reviewers), Dementia (2 reviewers), Grief (2 reviewers), Ableism (1 reviewer), Confinement (1 reviewer), Cursing (1 reviewer), Emotional abuse (1 reviewer), Infidelity (1 reviewer), Mental illness (1 reviewer), Pedophilia (1 reviewer), Physical abuse (1 reviewer), Racial slurs (1 reviewer), Self harm (1 reviewer), Terminal illness (1 reviewer), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), Violence (1 reviewer), Blood (1 reviewer), Medical content (1 reviewer), Kidnapping (1 reviewer), Suicide attempt (1 reviewer), and Death of parent (1 reviewer)Moods
sad 94%
emotional 89%
dark 86%
challenging 58%
reflective 46%
tense 35%
hopeful 6%
inspiring 5%
mysterious 4%
adventurous 1%
funny 1%
informative 0%
relaxing 0%
emotional 89%
dark 86%
challenging 58%
reflective 46%
tense 35%
hopeful 6%
inspiring 5%
mysterious 4%
adventurous 1%
funny 1%
informative 0%
relaxing 0%
Pace
slow 64%
medium 33%
fast 2%
medium 33%
fast 2%
Plot- or character-driven?
Character: 89% | A mix: 9% | Plot: 0%Strong character development?
Yes: 64% | It's complicated: 28% | No: 7%Loveable characters?
Yes: 65% | It's complicated: 27% | No: 6% | N/A: 0%Diverse cast of characters?
Yes: 84% | It's complicated: 10% | No: 4% | N/A: 0%Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 90% | It's complicated: 6% | No: 1% | N/A: 0%Average rating
Buy A Little Life
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A Little Life follows four college classmates--broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition--as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara's stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves.
Buy A Little Life
United States
Bookshop US
Other countries
Bookshop UK
Blackwell's
The StoryGraph is an affiliate of the featured links. We earn commission on any purchases made.
A Little Life follows four college classmates--broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition--as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara's stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves.
What the community thinks
summary of 6095 ratings (see reviews)
Content warnings
View warnings
Graphic
Self harm (129 reviewers), Child abuse (118 reviewers), Rape (103 reviewers), Physical abuse (103 reviewers), Suicide (103 reviewers), Suicidal thoughts (100 reviewers), Pedophilia (96 reviewers), Sexual assault (93 reviewers), Sexual violence (87 reviewers), Emotional abuse (87 reviewers), Mental illness (77 reviewers), Death (74 reviewers), Domestic abuse (68 reviewers), Adult/minor relationship (64 reviewers), Chronic illness (57 reviewers), Grief (51 reviewers), Blood (50 reviewers), Violence (49 reviewers), Eating disorder (49 reviewers), Toxic relationship (48 reviewers), Suicide attempt (39 reviewers), Drug abuse (39 reviewers), Panic attacks/disorders (38 reviewers), Kidnapping (35 reviewers), Addiction (34 reviewers), Ableism (34 reviewers), Medical trauma (32 reviewers), Medical content (32 reviewers), Trafficking (32 reviewers), Drug use (30 reviewers), Body shaming (28 reviewers), Sexual content (27 reviewers), Torture (23 reviewers), Bullying (20 reviewers), Child death (19 reviewers), Forced institutionalization (19 reviewers), Confinement (18 reviewers), Vomit (16 reviewers), Terminal illness (14 reviewers), Body horror (14 reviewers), Car accident (13 reviewers), Gore (8 reviewers), Alcoholism (6 reviewers), Religious bigotry (6 reviewers), Cursing (6 reviewers), Hate crime (6 reviewers), Homophobia (5 reviewers), Death of parent (5 reviewers), Biphobia (3 reviewers), Slavery (2 reviewers), Dementia (2 reviewers), Racial slurs (1 reviewer), Cancer (1 reviewer), Racism (1 reviewer), and Excrement (1 reviewer)Moderate
Addiction (22 reviewers), Drug abuse (18 reviewers), Drug use (14 reviewers), Ableism (11 reviewers), Child death (10 reviewers), Eating disorder (8 reviewers), Suicide (8 reviewers), Death (8 reviewers), Vomit (7 reviewers), Toxic relationship (6 reviewers), Rape (6 reviewers), Suicidal thoughts (6 reviewers), Emotional abuse (6 reviewers), Violence (5 reviewers), Sexual assault (5 reviewers), Forced institutionalization (5 reviewers), Homophobia (4 reviewers), Suicide attempt (4 reviewers), Car accident (4 reviewers), Sexual violence (4 reviewers), Physical abuse (4 reviewers), Child abuse (4 reviewers), Blood (4 reviewers), Pedophilia (4 reviewers), Grief (3 reviewers), Bullying (3 reviewers), Chronic illness (3 reviewers), Self harm (3 reviewers), Racism (3 reviewers), Body shaming (3 reviewers), Adult/minor relationship (3 reviewers), Mental illness (3 reviewers), Medical trauma (2 reviewers), Alcoholism (2 reviewers), Torture (2 reviewers), Medical content (2 reviewers), Panic attacks/disorders (2 reviewers), Kidnapping (2 reviewers), Cursing (2 reviewers), Confinement (2 reviewers), Domestic abuse (2 reviewers), Dementia (2 reviewers), Body horror (2 reviewers), Sexual content (1 reviewer), Racial slurs (1 reviewer), Terminal illness (1 reviewer), Trafficking (1 reviewer), Cancer (1 reviewer), Infidelity (1 reviewer), Biphobia (1 reviewer), Fatphobia (1 reviewer), Death of parent (1 reviewer), and Xenophobia (1 reviewer)Minor
Vomit (9 reviewers), Homophobia (6 reviewers), Biphobia (5 reviewers), Drug abuse (4 reviewers), Addiction (3 reviewers), Bullying (3 reviewers), Child death (3 reviewers), Drug use (3 reviewers), Racism (3 reviewers), Rape (3 reviewers), Cancer (2 reviewers), Eating disorder (2 reviewers), Fatphobia (2 reviewers), Dementia (2 reviewers), Grief (2 reviewers), Ableism (1 reviewer), Confinement (1 reviewer), Cursing (1 reviewer), Emotional abuse (1 reviewer), Infidelity (1 reviewer), Mental illness (1 reviewer), Pedophilia (1 reviewer), Physical abuse (1 reviewer), Racial slurs (1 reviewer), Self harm (1 reviewer), Terminal illness (1 reviewer), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), Violence (1 reviewer), Blood (1 reviewer), Medical content (1 reviewer), Kidnapping (1 reviewer), Suicide attempt (1 reviewer), and Death of parent (1 reviewer)Moods
sad 94%
emotional 89%
dark 86%
challenging 58%
reflective 46%
tense 35%
hopeful 6%
inspiring 5%
mysterious 4%
adventurous 1%
funny 1%
informative 0%
relaxing 0%
emotional 89%
dark 86%
challenging 58%
reflective 46%
tense 35%
hopeful 6%
inspiring 5%
mysterious 4%
adventurous 1%
funny 1%
informative 0%
relaxing 0%
Pace
slow 64%
medium 33%
fast 2%
medium 33%
fast 2%
Plot- or character-driven?
Character: 89% | A mix: 9% | Plot: 0%Strong character development?
Yes: 64% | It's complicated: 28% | No: 7%Loveable characters?
Yes: 65% | It's complicated: 27% | No: 6% | N/A: 0%Diverse cast of characters?
Yes: 84% | It's complicated: 10% | No: 4% | N/A: 0%Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 90% | It's complicated: 6% | No: 1% | N/A: 0%Average rating