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A review by madamelacy
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
3.75
The story is set primarily in New York and centres on one character in particular.
I feel very torn with this book. It was beautifully written but painfully slow. I felt like it gave incredible insight into the repercussions on someone’s adult life following abuse as a child. It made for very difficult reading at times. I really felt for the main character, but he was quite narcissistic, so I’m struggling to understand how he got and kept so many loyal friends!!
I found the sections on self harm incredibly, disturbingly well-written; Jude’s thought processes and urges to self-harm were so insightful.
Jude and Willem’s characters were well-developed. Poor Malcolm only got a look-in when he was useful as a plot vehicle and as a conduit between JB and the other two. He didn’t seem vital to the friendship group a lot of the time.
There are so many trigger warnings with this book! Buyer beware! You need to be in a good place mentally to cope with this book.
I feel very torn with this book. It was beautifully written but painfully slow. I felt like it gave incredible insight into the repercussions on someone’s adult life following abuse as a child. It made for very difficult reading at times. I really felt for the main character, but he was quite narcissistic, so I’m struggling to understand how he got and kept so many loyal friends!!
I found the sections on self harm incredibly, disturbingly well-written; Jude’s thought processes and urges to self-harm were so insightful.
Jude and Willem’s characters were well-developed. Poor Malcolm only got a look-in when he was useful as a plot vehicle and as a conduit between JB and the other two. He didn’t seem vital to the friendship group a lot of the time.
There are so many trigger warnings with this book! Buyer beware! You need to be in a good place mentally to cope with this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Racism, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Death, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Excrement