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A review by blainereads
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I don’t think anyone can deny that this is a beautifully written and moving book—grotesque at times, but beautiful—and yet I can’t bring myself to give it five stars like so many others have, and I think that’s because of how uncomfortable I felt throughout—but not from what you might think.
Yes, it’s graphic and enthusiastically describes the most evil and deprived acts known to humanity, but that’s not what unsettled me. it was the casual unchecked racism; the internalized homophobia; the pervasive ableist language that never improves; the unnecessary and repeated externalized biphobia (or perhaps queerphobia would be more appropriate) that, for the most part, failed to serve the story in any substantial capacity.
Perhaps these instances would have been more digestible and/or understandable had we known the timeline of the story, but instead we’re left wondering if the (usually) gay men and (usually) white people in this story are really making these kinds of comments in the 21st century (and facing no ramifications or not even being questioned for it)?? I don’t think characters need to be perfect paragons of morality, nor do I think the words of characters are necessarily reflective of the author’s opinions, but the fact that so much of these “problematic” moments could have been excluded or easily changed without altering the story or the characters’ arcs felt, ultimately, like a failure of sorts—a massive oversight, in the least.
all of those instances together, combined with the graphic and fated tragedy, really made this feel, ultimately, like trauma fantasy for straight white people. it was a book that would be necessary and groundbreaking in 2005, maybe, but now feels closer to harmful than revolutionary.
Yes, it’s graphic and enthusiastically describes the most evil and deprived acts known to humanity, but that’s not what unsettled me. it was the casual unchecked racism; the internalized homophobia; the pervasive ableist language that never improves; the unnecessary and repeated externalized biphobia (or perhaps queerphobia would be more appropriate) that, for the most part, failed to serve the story in any substantial capacity.
Perhaps these instances would have been more digestible and/or understandable had we known the timeline of the story, but instead we’re left wondering if the (usually) gay men and (usually) white people in this story are really making these kinds of comments in the 21st century (and facing no ramifications or not even being questioned for it)?? I don’t think characters need to be perfect paragons of morality, nor do I think the words of characters are necessarily reflective of the author’s opinions, but the fact that so much of these “problematic” moments could have been excluded or easily changed without altering the story or the characters’ arcs felt, ultimately, like a failure of sorts—a massive oversight, in the least.
all of those instances together, combined with the graphic and fated tragedy, really made this feel, ultimately, like trauma fantasy for straight white people. it was a book that would be necessary and groundbreaking in 2005, maybe, but now feels closer to harmful than revolutionary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Death
Moderate: Suicide and Grief
Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, and Racism