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A review by njthk
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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
Technically a very well written book, carefully crafted characters, a study of a life.
The actual plot makes it so hard for me to rate this book.
It made me deeply emotional, but that doesn't make it "good". Stringing together tragedy after tragedy would make anyone feel something.
But maybe it's okay to portray a Person who doesn't get better. Ever. What gutted me the most was that all these years of kindness and love: Willem, Harold, Julia, Andy, Richard, JB, Malcolm, colleagues couldn't outweigh the horrible years that were his childhood.
The actual plot makes it so hard for me to rate this book.
It made me deeply emotional, but that doesn't make it "good". Stringing together tragedy after tragedy would make anyone feel something.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Suicide, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Car accident, Trafficking, Death, Dysphoria, Rape, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Sexual content, and Gore