A review by seamoonstone
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

challenging dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Reading this book is a disturbing, miserable experience. Overall, it seems to be an overwrought experiment in cruelty by the author—how much pain can you inflict on a person, in a world where literally everyone is a pedophile rapist and therapists are evil sadists, to make it impossible for them to heal. The moments of friendship were valuable, but the lengthy, explicit and overdone depictions of sexual assault and abuse were repulsive and obscene, and left me wondering how the author could imagine this, and frankly, why anyone would read this. This could have been a beautiful story of friendship, love and loss if the author (and publisher) had chosen to focus on the four men (the characters of colour—main characters initially—are nearly forgotten about ¼ of the way through, and there isn't a woman in sight) as they are in adulthood and through their years of friendship, and wasn't so intent on inflicting so much pain on one character that his self-loathing and
eventual suicide
is depicted inevitable. Do not read if you are struggling with suicidal ideation or self harm. Depression and mistreatment are not a death sentence. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
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