Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

2599 reviews

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

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

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

maluulam's review against another edition

challenging 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

Cinco minutos

Uma Vida Pequena foi um dos melhores livros que eu já li, e com certeza o mais triste. Mas mesmo assim proporcionou muitos risinhos sinceros e momentos muito agradáveis, de esquentar o coração. E isso é o que torna o livro tão bom.

É surpreendente a forma como é possível se conectar com os personagens e sentir com eles cada experiência. Além de mudar sua perspectiva dependendo de quem está narrando a história.

Esse livro com certeza vai deixar Jude e Willem, com sua linda e emocionante história, por muuuuito tempo na minha memória.

Uma Vida Pequena mostra os mínimos detalhes e, uma das minhas coisas preferidas no livro, os momentos do dia a dia de uma amizade maravilhosa. Que faz com que mesmo apenas "cinco muitos" façam toda a diferença.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, 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, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

aadilh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

Heartbreaking

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

amirxhs13's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

💔

SPOILERS AHEAD!!! 
Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite how absolutely devastating it was. 

People often say that the pain Jude went through was “too much” and while I agree it was hard to read through and cope with, I think that declaring someone’s trauma as “too much” is dismissive of real life victims. There are people out there with stories like Jude, or similar to his, who live with those thoughts, feelings and memories daily. By saying what has happened to them too much, and unbelievable, it takes away from what they’ve gone through, and reinforces the idea that they are “too much” and the world would be better off without them. It is this thinking, by Jude, that perpetuates his issues.  

The writing was incredibly beautiful, and I do not understand those who said it was slow or boring. It allowed true and deep insight into the minds of all the characters, and they definitely felt real, which makes it all the more devastating. The descriptions of the setting were perfect and incredibly immersive, and I sped through the novel, despite its enormous length.

While this book does not have a clear message or moral, and the authors purpose was simply to write someone who was so incredible broken there was no coming back from it or “fixing” them, I still find a point. This book has ultimately made me a better person. Throughout the novel Jude struggles, and yet, he puts up a brave front consistently in his work life, and as much as he can in his personal life. This book has demonstrated that you truly do not know what ANYONE has gone through, and that everyone should be initially met with kindness, love, and, basic respect. While I, and hopefully anyone reading this, already knew that, I truly feel it in a much deeper sense now. 

Nonetheless, I do not think I would recommend this book. As much as I love it, the contents were so incredibly triggering that I cannot, in any good conscience, tell someone to read it without extensive prior knowledge. I went into the book knowing that both Jude and Willem would die. I was aware of the trigger warnings, and knew that I would be fine. This is not the same for everyone. 

Finally, I think the ending was perfect and almost ideal. We all knew there was no recovery for Jude, simply existence with Willem. His dependence on Willem, while accepted by Willem, was extreme. There was no chance of Jude leading a happy life without him, and I am pleased with the ending. The only alternative would them both be living happily ever after, and I think that fairytale ending would have been unrealistic and diminishing. 

Overall, it was absolutely devastating, and amazing. 5/5.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Minor: Cancer, Child death, and Car accident

matthewreadsstuff's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Classism

Perhaps one of the most brutal depictions of a wide array of trauma. Not for those triggered by any sort of abuse.

katielinnn's review against another edition

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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Dysphoria

isabelboswinkel's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Suicide attempt