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karkei's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I can hardly conceive that life can be so harsh to one person. My heart goes out to Jude. He’s a character that you constantly want to protect. How privileged we are that most of us may never truly understand the full depths of what Jude has gone through.
I will not pretend to be an angel though. There were many points that I got frustrated at Jude, like “Can’t you see how you are hurting the people you love? Can’t you see how much they are doing for you?” But then, I come back to myself and I feel guilty - I’m no better than JB, all self centered and discounting Jude in his entirety. Or maybe worse, because JB doesn’t actually know what happened to Jude and I do 🥲
I like to think that just with the people who love him though, loving someone is taking all of them. I love Jude and I care for him and hence, I wanted him to see himself as worthy and I wanted him to survive and be happy.
What I originally thought was a story about Jude, however, ends up being a story about Willem. And where do I start with this?
Willem, you are the most patient, kind, loving character.
To Harold and Andy, you also have a special place in my heart.
A Little Life was a book I was scared to pick up because all I heard about it was that it was highly traumatic. While there was trauma, however, this book went way beyond that for me. It is a reminder of how unforgiving but beautiful life can be and how fortunate we should all be for our little lives ❤️
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Car accident
jetti'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
Grundsätzlich werde diesem Buch keine Sterne Bewertung geben.
Es ist ein wirklich gutes Buch was aber nichts für schwache Nerven ist. Die sehr genau Beschreibungen von selbstverletzungen sind wirklich nicht für jeden was. Und auch wenn ich das Buch wirklich gut finde, finde ich es schwierig es anderen Leuten weiter zu empfehlen.
Ich möchte keinem Buch eine 4-5 Sterne Bewertung geben, wenn ich Weis wie viele schreckliche Themen angesprochen werden. Ich habe wirklich mehrfach überlegen müssen ob ich das Buch abbrechen soll oder nicht. Jedoch sind mir die Charaktere viel zu sehr ans Herz gewachsen und ich konnte einfach nicht mehr abbrechen. Ich musste wissen wie die Geschichte ausgeht.
Die detaillierten Beschreibungen von Selbstverleugnung und auch Kindesmisshandlungen haben mich aber auch dazu gebracht, diesen Buch nur eine schriftliche Bewertung zu geben.
Faktisch gesehen ist das Buch wirklich gut. Ich habe alle Charaktere geliebt und vor allem auch das Zusammenspiel aus Vergangenheit und Gegenwart.
Man wird erstmal rein geworfen und Weis erst nicht genau, wer eigentlich der Main Protagonist ist. Bis es dann irgendwann sehr klar wird. Es wird judes Lebensgeschichte erzählt. Von frühester Kindheit bis ins erwachsenen Leben hinein. Und eben auch was ihm alles passiert ist. Und oh jude. Ich habe dich so oft innerlich angeschrien!
Nach vielen Schwierigkeiten die die beiden in ihrer Beziehung hatten, haben sie endlich einen Kompromiss gefunden, ein Leben wie es funktionieren kann und dann das. Das war der Punkt der jude gebrochen hat und auch mein Herz endgültig!
Jude ist in dem Buch viel gutes aber auch viel schlimmes widerfahren. Ich habe mich so bei der Adoption von Harold gefreut. Oder auch wie viele Freunde er hatte.
Das am Ende Harold und JD alle überlebt haben war ein schreckliches aber auch passendes Ende.
Ob ich mir je wieder ein so grausames und gleich schönes Buch anhöre/lese Weis ich nicht.
Ich brauch jetzt erstmal wieder eine schön schnulzige Liebesgeschichte mit Happy End!
Graphic: Child abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Suicide attempt
mochiwaffles'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
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
lisamayradb'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, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
cerysvy'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
captdummy'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: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
mollymccreedy's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
This book should not be recommended lightly and people should absolutely be informed of what they're getting into before reading it.
At the time, I thought this was the best novel I had ever read, and I have a deep love and appreciation for that view, but the more I sit with this book and listen to what others have to say, I understand and appreciate how deeply troubling and harmful this book is. I was sobbing every 20 pages (no lie) and it took me MONTHS to get though this. It broke me in so many ways and it took me a long time to pick up another book after finishing this one.
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
I would absolutely not recommend this book to just anyone. Heck, I wouldn't recommend it to 99% of the people I know. I read this book not realizing what it was about and what the author has said about talk therapy. The description of this book is horribly misleading and the more I sit with the knowledge of what I read, the more I realize how deeply upsetting and deeply problematic this book is.katieeyu's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood
mrgrdsnts'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: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Grief
selimhannah'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
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol