Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Uma Pequena Vida by Hanya Yanagihara

2456 reviews

jaygatz114's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

2.5


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libraryoflolabelle's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

5.0


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paris_nicole's review against another edition

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dark sad tense slow-paced
  • 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

I really loved this book. It is dark, deep and heavy. There is criticism over the amount of trauma portrayed and that the author is profiting off of tragedy, but I never had that sense. She sought out to write a book about how damaged people can be, sometimes to the point of no return.

The book is loooong (my version was over 800 pages), but it never felt like it was dragging. It is a very drawn out story, but the author's writing keeps you captivated. 

There are many, many trigger warnings. For that reason, I will be cautious when recommending this to others. 

I'm giving it 5 stars because I know I will never forget these characters and their stories, especially Jude. 

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malin11's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0


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haileynielson's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0


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kati_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0


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srkennedy1218's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0


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syd91201's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • 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


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toriyaki's review against another edition

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The depth of the characters was lost in the author’s want to make it a “deep” exploration of trauma. It lacks the necessary understanding of human experience and is truly “fiction”. Not a deep emotional tale or another subplot or narrative. Just plan cartoonish nonsense that disguises itself as a trauma novel. Would be better written if it was a scientific thesis on trauma instead of a failed attempt to be deep. Author uses “telling” instead of “showing” brings this disconnect and basically the author telling the reader to “feel” what’s being told. But it doesn’t work like that- emotional pull isn’t there since there is no character development in the abusers besides the author telling us that they are abusers. 

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julesheegs's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75


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