sapphicsav 's review for:

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

5.0

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is the second time I read A Little Life, and yet it was somehow even more devastating and poignant than the first. The prose is captivating and flows effortlessly. Jude, and all of them, are desperately loveable and constantly relatable. The book is perfectly titled. It is, for better or for worse, an arresting chronicle of a whole human life. It is graphic and physically painful to read, but it is worthwhile. We love people and it matters even if it is not enough. Read this book. You will be devastated, but not disappointed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Death of parent