Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

3443 reviews

cgonzalez1211's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• 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

I would’ve given this book a 1 star review because the first half is slow but the storyline gets significantly better throughout the second half. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape

jooooooolia's review against another edition

3.0

i bought this book curious of it’s visceral emotional damage it seemed to bring upon a pandemic of readers on the internet. two years later, i then finally picked up this book aware of it’s polarization and interested where i would fall with my reactions to this book. i finished a little life with an understanding of both sides i frequently see readers fall under—those who hold this book dearly to them and those who find this book largely problematic for it’s overabundance of mature topics. regarding the latter opinion, it needs to be VERY clear that NO READER should pick up this novel without being aware of it’s potentially triggering content. even for me, a reader who typically is not turned away from content with mature themes (only to say this if you yourself also are similar and contemplating reading this book), i found the passages including self h*rm incredibly disturbing. in these ways, i can find myself deeply understanding the largest critics of this book. nonetheless, these faults did not stop me from finding things to enjoy while i read. besides the insensitivity the author presents towards traumatic experiences… i think this author captured the essence of life well. i enjoyed the ebb and flow of the goods and the bads—the mundanity but also the beauty in the mundanity. i liked the side characters—maybe even so much so that i wished there had been more spotlight on them. overall, i find myself in the middle of a little life—a reader who enjoyed the novel in some aspects but is nevertheless critical of it. in the end—i don’t think that this novel made a profound or livid impact on me as it has done on many others.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Addiction, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Terminal illness

romo_sapien's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Incredible book that will bring you to tears over and over again. My only complaint about it is the authors comments during interviews, proudly saying she did zero research into trauma and abuse for this novel. Changed how I feel about this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Medical content

domh90's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• 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

This is the saddest book I have ever read in my whole life. It is doom and gloom the entire book. But it is so very well written. You'll fall in love with the characters. You'll hate them at times. It's a very tense ride most of the time, but it is well worth it. I highly recommend this book. Be warned though, if you suffer from mental illness this may not be for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Rape, and Suicide attempt

stacyvillariass's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• 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

I've read a lot of sad books in my lifetime (with the same trigger warnings) and this one tops it all. And not in a good way. 

Albiet the beautifully written words and wonderful story telling, this book has brought me nothing but but dread and sadness. Everything was so gray and hopeless. I kept reading because I was hoping for a rainbow, the rain, sunshines, a breath of fresh air, or peace. Not in a literal way but with the feeling. But I felt so hopeless in the end that I broke down crying. 

I know that this is a work of fiction and in no way represents only one person. And it breaks my heart to think that what if? What if there is someone out there experiencing this? That you can have all the money and success in the world, and yet you never felt complete, happy, secured, and at peace?

I pray for everyone who's suffering
I pray that all children be safe and secured, and well-taken care of
I pray that all predators perish and suffer 
I pray for everyone who has read this book


Beware. This book will break you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

jen_sanford's review against another edition

challenging 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

This book is beautiful and heartbreaking. I had to stop several times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, and Drug use

clarahatch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt

foxgame's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

I have a tendency to buy books without really knowing what they are about. I knew this book was reputed to be slightly heavy, a “proper literature” book and about the relationships between 4 grad students living in New York. However this is no Seinfeld. 
I was not prepared for how confronting this book would be. There was every type of abuse covered in more than enough detail - physical,  verbal, drug, sexual, self harm (animal if you’re vegan). 
But the writing draws you in and outlines the story through a third person narrative, either Willem or Jude but also from Harold as a dialogue perspective. This was beautifully written and it fractured, broke and warmed my heart in its rollercoaster journey. I do not think I am the same person I was before I read this book. 
But it is not an easy read, especially being the mother of primary school aged boys. Especially as knowing that parts of this fiction is some people’s reality. 
I am glad I read this book. But I don’t think I could read it again knowing what happens. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

taykai1314's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Don't read this book. You will literally become so depressed. It was good writing but this story is so sad. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

svtephreads's review against another edition

I tried reading this three times and couldn’t get through it. It’s so graphic and unnecessarily cruel to read. I don’t recommend it to anyone. It has every content warning you can think of. The sparknotes summary was already too graphic for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, and Suicide attempt