A review by lliz4rd
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

When I first started reading I thought it was Gen Z “Friends” I liked the different narrators, and the relationship the boys had, their life in NYC, each of the individual goals, hopes and what they hated about life or  themselves or their friends/family. But it really quickly turned into a gratuitous exploitation of one of the characters. Without spoiling, each time you learn more of what happens to Jude, it doesn’t further the plot or add another layer to him, or explain why he is the way he is. It’s purely exploitative. I agree with other reviews or people I’ve heard talk about this book, that it’s a good show of how traumatised people cannot move on and what their inner mind is like. I get that, I have trauma. But it’s so excessive to me that it didn’t need to be said, absolutely horrific things that happen to a child and young person. I only read to the end because I thought there would be something redeeming, but my opinion dropped lower from 40% onwards. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail