A review by alomie
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

This book is a really rough read, it took me a long time to read and I needed to take lots of breaks as it was relentlessly emotional, a kick to the gut, as bad as things are they just get worse.

I can't really recommend this book to anyone and I think this is a super dangerous book to be all over booktube/booktok. Before you read this please do check the trigger warnings as the descriptions are graphic, slow and detailed. 

I found this harrowing to read, and deeply upsetting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Medical trauma, Drug use, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Body horror, Infidelity, Self harm, Body shaming, Child abuse, and Racism