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korieborn's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
tiamoore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Trafficking, and Suicide attempt
rbleiweis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Had to take a few hours after finishing the book before I sat down to review because the last chapter was genuinely beautiful — maybe Yanagihara’s best of the entire novel. It certainly moved (manipulated?) me to tears. She is undeniably a talented writer, it’s a shame she is so obsessed with trauma, self-harm, and sadism.
This is a book for people who do not believe in therapy (written by one of those people ). The Cheesecake Factory-length menu of horrific traumas placed on the shoulders of a single character is not only perverse and merciless, it’s fantastical and ridiculous. Sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, pedophilia, forced prostitution, kidnapping, torture, disease, PTSD, starvation, and self-harm (I think I got them all but I am genuinely not sure) of course exist, but all in one person? Give me a fucking break!
I think a good book exists within the behemoth she published, but I can see no good reason for its length beyond trying to plunge you into the same depression as her tortured lead. The ending is so inevitable that countless undulations of hope and despair do no more than waste your time. Maybe the worst of it all is that Jude is somehow, after 800+ pages, an underdeveloped character. He is wholly and completely defined by his trauma -- because that is what Yanagihara intended. She’d probably argue that he is also defined by those who love him — meaning the by and large saintlike secondary characters lacking nuance of their own. It concerns me that the love she wants you to take away from this book (and sob over) only exists in the context of life support (an observation I’m repeating from this piece that I can’t get out of my head).
Finally, the profundity of Howard and others coming to terms with their own selfishness in trying to keep alive someone who does not want to be is drastically undermined when you realize Yanagihara is doing the very same thing without apology. In fact, it’s seemingly her style — a steadfast determination to avoid levity and force her readers to face the “monstrous” world we live in. It’s concerning to me that so many people have confused this for depth.
TL;DR — don’t buy this hype on this book and if you do, consider therapy <3
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
chefjeng's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I thoroughly enjoyed the depiction of deep friendship, love and loyalty but I did find the misery of Jude's life over wrought at times and ridiculous to the point of far fetched at points but the treatment of grief, self harm and the legacy and effects of childhood trauma and abuse is vivid, raw and well done. The prose is beautiful and I will probably read more by the author, but I need a break after this one!
Twice (after the adoption and the start of Jude and Willem's romantic relationship) I wanted the story to end to have at least some semblance of a happy ending, but that wasn't to be and somehow I kept going to the end. Self harm episode after self harm episode, gut wrenching story after gut wrenching story.
The "gay men are all paedophiles or doomed to live depressing lives and die full of shame and misery" trope wearing at times but I loved Jude, and most of all I loved Willem so I stayed with them till the end. Would I do it again? Yes. Should I? No.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Dementia, Abandonment, and Alcohol
komiification's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer
evalolitah's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
theaah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, and Grief
tessakooijmans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
chethawleyz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Abandonment
Just….read the warnings. And believe them.shinitan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was written so beautifully and I often found myself feeling the ways the characters did due to the direction of the writing.
Since having read the novel, I’ve also read reviews - both good and bad and I can understand both. While I personally did not view the book as depression porn, I can understand that there are readers out there whose experiences that differ from mine may have viewed it as so since (as I now know) that this is a popular book tok recommendation. There were some parts in the novel which I did think it was a little excessive- such as the story about Caleb, and some parts dragged a lot more than I would have liked, hence my 4.5 star rating.
I don’t think this is the right book for anyone that doesn’t want to read anything sad or remind them of real life, and I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone that has triggers. But if you enjoy darker themes and slice of life genre, chances are you will enjoy this book.
I really enjoyed this book. Coming into it without know anything, I was expecting some sort of profound life lesson which will move me and inspire my life. I was touched by this novel, but not in the way I had expected to be and there are no words for me to express how I feel about it. I’m probably of a rare (or maybe not) crowd where I don’t feel like this book was depressing or made me depressed (even though I did cry a lot ), but rather, it gave me a deep appreciation and sense of gratitude, for life itself and for this book making its way into my life.
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt