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A review by macwoods
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
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
3.0
I'm the first to admit liking a sad story, but this is trauma porn. This book answers the question: how might an author warrant nearly EVERY trigger warning in their work? Do not read this if you are struggling with or recently recovered from an ED or self harming. I wanted to love the book with these lovable, beautiful characters, but I couldn't get past how unlikely the trajectory was for the main character given the seemingly bottomless well of abuse this young man barely crawled out from. The fiction of a meritocracy almost rescuing this character... In fact, all the characters are wildly successful in their careers because glamour/art/money, I guess.
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Self harm, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Trafficking
Moderate: Addiction and Dysphoria