A review by crisscrossedshelves
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

dark emotional 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

4.0

This is not a book that I would recommend to literally anyone, but not for any of the usual reasons. It is not badly written, it is not overtly unrelatable, it is not boring. What it is is hard. It is quite possibly the most difficult thing I've ever read in my short life, and I highly doubt anything else will take that place. It was beautiful and painful and hopeful and jarring and utterly destroying.
If you have any interest in this book, literally any at all, please proceed with all caution. Read reviews, watch vlogs, look up the trigger warnings (of which there are many), and please be as prepared as you can possibly stand, and then accept that short of having every plot point explained to you, even that won't be enough.
Do not hate the author for the story she created, as this was intentional. The gradient of this story is an act of exploration into darkness that most people would shy away from, with good reason. But, it is what she wanted, and it is what people chose to read. I did, and I do not regret the hours and the emotions I afforded it.
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