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A review by moodreaderhan
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
5.0
5 Sobbing, Heartbroken, Gut Wrenching Stars
Friendship, family, love, loss, coping, secrets, and trauma. There is no brief summary that I can give to encapsulate all that this book entails, but those are the few words that come to mind when I think of it. Hanya Yanagihara really gives the best summary of it all.
I tried to think of what the opposite of a warm hug (like in a cozy read) is, and how this is the furthest thing from that. I came up with a cold shoulder pat. Yet somehow that does not work for this book because a cold shoulder pat sounds so removed when this book entangles all of you and your emotions into it.
Thoughts:
This one broke me. I mean kept-me-up-all-night-sobbing-and-then-feeling-hollow; that kind of broke. I have such mixed feelings towards it of both hate and love because of how it crushed me, but I cannot deny that this is spectacular. It is misery and a masterpiece that both greets you and leaves you with suffering and pain, yet also with an undeniable love of its writing and characterization.
I don’t think I can write a full review that will give the credit that this book deserves at the moment, so I will leave it with those little descriptions I gave and a warning that this book is tough. It’s okay to not want to rush into it or read it at all, especially at the sake of your own mental health. However, if you do give this one a chance, you may never read a book like it again, and how many books can leave you with that feeling?
Kiddos to those of you who could crush this book in one sitting. I needed my lovelies Cara, Ingrid, and Lila to get through this one with many breaks in between.
How does one move on after a read like this? I don’t know if I fully ever will. Possible additional review, edit or update to come if I get a handle on my emotions for it.
Reminder: Talk to someone even when it’s hard! It’s never too late to get help. Also you never know what someone has gone through or is going through. Check in on your friends, but also remind yourself that you are not responsible for someone else’s pain. Just be there.
Would I recommend this and to who:
Yes-ish. This book is clearly not for everyone. Please please please read the trigger warnings especially if you are easily triggered. This one is for those asking to have their hearts ripped right out of their chests.
Paperback/Hardcover/Audiobook/E-book:
E-book
How did I discover this:
It’s incredibly well known and coined as the sad/depressing book. I was desperate to know how bad it could get.
Pace:
Medium/Slow
Cover thoughts:
Anguish - I can truly feel it
POV:
Multi
Quotes: Having to pick just a few was the most difficult thing!
“You were treated horribly. You came out on the other end. You were always you.” … "And who are you?” “I'm Willem Ragnarsson. And I will never let you go.”
“Wasn’t friendship its own miracle, the finding of another person who made the entire lonely world seem somehow less lonely?”
“there’s not an expiration date on needing help, or needing people. You don’t get to a certain age and it stops.”
“What he knew, he knew from books, and books lied, they made things prettier.”
“And so I try to be kind to everything I see, and in everything I see, I see him.”
“Because he deserved happiness. We aren’t guaranteed it, none of us are, but he deserved it.
Triggers *SPOILERS*:
Self harm, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Physical & Emotional Abuse, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Death, Grief, Toxic Relationships, Violence, Eating disorder, Chronic illness, Terminal Illness, Car Accident, Blood, Addiction, Injury, Gore, Ableism, Drug use/abuse, Medical Trauma, Panic Attacks/Disorders, Sexual content, Body shaming, Body Horror, Dysphoria, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Torture, Abandonment, Vomit, Gaslighting, Fire, Bullying, Forced Institutionalization/Hospitalization, Swearing, Homophobia, Confinement, Hate crime, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Racism, Infidelity, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis/Hallucinations, Cancer, Biphobia, Dementia, Excrement, Fatphobia, Acephobia/Arophobia, Outing, Classism, etc.
Friendship, family, love, loss, coping, secrets, and trauma. There is no brief summary that I can give to encapsulate all that this book entails, but those are the few words that come to mind when I think of it. Hanya Yanagihara really gives the best summary of it all.
I tried to think of what the opposite of a warm hug (like in a cozy read) is, and how this is the furthest thing from that. I came up with a cold shoulder pat. Yet somehow that does not work for this book because a cold shoulder pat sounds so removed when this book entangles all of you and your emotions into it.
Thoughts:
This one broke me. I mean kept-me-up-all-night-sobbing-and-then-feeling-hollow; that kind of broke. I have such mixed feelings towards it of both hate and love because of how it crushed me, but I cannot deny that this is spectacular. It is misery and a masterpiece that both greets you and leaves you with suffering and pain, yet also with an undeniable love of its writing and characterization.
I don’t think I can write a full review that will give the credit that this book deserves at the moment, so I will leave it with those little descriptions I gave and a warning that this book is tough. It’s okay to not want to rush into it or read it at all, especially at the sake of your own mental health. However, if you do give this one a chance, you may never read a book like it again, and how many books can leave you with that feeling?
Kiddos to those of you who could crush this book in one sitting. I needed my lovelies Cara, Ingrid, and Lila to get through this one with many breaks in between.
How does one move on after a read like this? I don’t know if I fully ever will. Possible additional review, edit or update to come if I get a handle on my emotions for it.
Reminder: Talk to someone even when it’s hard! It’s never too late to get help. Also you never know what someone has gone through or is going through. Check in on your friends, but also remind yourself that you are not responsible for someone else’s pain. Just be there.
Would I recommend this and to who:
Yes-ish. This book is clearly not for everyone. Please please please read the trigger warnings especially if you are easily triggered. This one is for those asking to have their hearts ripped right out of their chests.
Paperback/Hardcover/Audiobook/E-book:
E-book
How did I discover this:
It’s incredibly well known and coined as the sad/depressing book. I was desperate to know how bad it could get.
Pace:
Medium/Slow
Cover thoughts:
Anguish - I can truly feel it
POV:
Multi
Quotes: Having to pick just a few was the most difficult thing!
“You were treated horribly. You came out on the other end. You were always you.” … "And who are you?” “I'm Willem Ragnarsson. And I will never let you go.”
“Wasn’t friendship its own miracle, the finding of another person who made the entire lonely world seem somehow less lonely?”
“there’s not an expiration date on needing help, or needing people. You don’t get to a certain age and it stops.”
“What he knew, he knew from books, and books lied, they made things prettier.”
“And so I try to be kind to everything I see, and in everything I see, I see him.”
“Because he deserved happiness. We aren’t guaranteed it, none of us are, but he deserved it.
Triggers *SPOILERS*:
Self harm, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Physical & Emotional Abuse, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Death, Grief, Toxic Relationships, Violence, Eating disorder, Chronic illness, Terminal Illness, Car Accident, Blood, Addiction, Injury, Gore, Ableism, Drug use/abuse, Medical Trauma, Panic Attacks/Disorders, Sexual content, Body shaming, Body Horror, Dysphoria, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Torture, Abandonment, Vomit, Gaslighting, Fire, Bullying, Forced Institutionalization/Hospitalization, Swearing, Homophobia, Confinement, Hate crime, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Racism, Infidelity, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis/Hallucinations, Cancer, Biphobia, Dementia, Excrement, Fatphobia, Acephobia/Arophobia, Outing, Classism, etc.