Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

3208 reviews

mrgrdsnts's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.75

I loved the book… but it was very hard for me to read… i had to put it down a lot of times… it’s harsh but i think it has it’s meaning and that it is a good story.

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Content Warnings

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

e_kamil20's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

selimhannah's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

annmoeba's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

annkristin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

This book has me feeling all sorts of emotions, which is why i can- and will not rate it.

Personally, i do not consider this story to be trauma-dumbing for shock value since every traumatic incident is somehow connected to Jude. Jude, a person of colour, queer, disabled and in the system of child service. He is in every way imaginable underpriviliged and we have to acknowledge those in our society, who are also intersectionally marginalised. Those who have been, like Jude, led down over and over again by the system we live in as well as the people in it. People with some kind of similiar experiences exist in real life.

Also, i was positively suprised by the beautiful and touching passages in the book. From everything i heard about this story i expected every single page to be sad. But just as life itself it also contains beautiful, human  moments filled with so much hope and love.
In general Yanagiharas writing is absolutley exceptional. She made these characters so incredibly real. It is crazy how much so. Everything she writes makes you as a reader feel so much. 
This talent in writing also led to so many intersting explorations on diferent themes. Throughout this book i kept on being intrigued by thought provoking ideas she frequently touched on.

However, i still have huge points of critic. For one, the authors take that therapy is useless. It is only obscured and underlying but at the same time such a giant and problematic opinion to express (even if only subliminal). I strongly diagree and believe it is extremely dangerous. What messages does it send to survivors?! What does this ending tell people who do actually struggle with mental health issues? It only spreads helplessness and devastation.

Also, what the fuck is up with the way she depicts gay men?! According to how Yanagiharas portrayal you would have to assume that every gay men is a pedophile or deeply mentally sick. That is such a horrible way to write about a already stigmatised group of people. Especially since she herself is straight and female. 

Furthermore, i have to admit that being in Judes perspective so much is draining to say the least. I started to take over some aspects of thinking: Self-destructive, self-hating and deeply scarred. It actually really impacted my own mental health at times. 

Overall, there is not a singluar or right way to think about this very complex book. I personally find my self thinking back and actually rereading so many passages of this book over and over again. Still i would not really recommend this book to anyone knowing what it could/would trigger.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Vomit

brittastrophee's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

julesfrigault's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Vomit, and Medical content

jamesj3's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

mereldnr's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

liamazing's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury