Reviews

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

moeu's review against another edition

4.0

My 15 year old sister gave me this because it was too long. She implied the ending which I quickly interrupted because I hate spoilers - and said “I know someone probably dies, but not all deaths are necessarily sad” (granted this was before I knew the events of the last quarter of the book.) However, I still mean this - I think there’s a way to view death as a forceful appreciation of the life lived and the lives impacted, which softens the experience for loved ones. This is obviously easier said than done, as the experience was not even softened for these characters which yanagihara brought to life.

Speaking of characters, my favorite was Harold. His perspective was at points more heart wrenching than I was prepared for despite the brevity of his chapters (a testament to Yanagiharas work)

anna_amo's review against another edition

4.0

Honestly so relieved to be finished with this heartbreak. Have I ever read a novel (not by Hardy) that was so unrelentingly miserable? Gorgeous writing and gorgeous characters but so little hope and such small victories, it's hard to take.
One thing I thought was missing was any exploration of Jude's relationship with Julia. She's only ever present as Harold's wife and her position as Jude's adopted mother is never addressed. Considering Jude's desperate need of mothering it feels like a real hole.
Also it was disappointing when Malcolm and JB's viewpoints disappeared from the novel, especially Malcolm who just became a non character. Not that I'd have sacrificed any time with Willem but I still missed seeing then develop.
I'm not sure if I'd recommend reading it, and certainly am happy to give trigger warnings if any one wants.

shanthebookish's review against another edition

5.0

This is a 5 star read for me because it is beautifully written - I can't stress that enough. BUT...there is so much trauma in this book, SO much. Like an almost unbearable amount. If you've lived a pretty good life with nothing much out of the ordinary happening to you, this book will absolutely wreck you. If you've lived through trauma but have some distance from it, then you'll be fine reading this. Jude's story is extremely sad and unforgettable. It's hard to imagine how one person could endure so much, yet he does. But years of abuse changes a person's psyche and he is never able to heal, in spite of having a beautiful support system as an adult. Sometimes love really isn't enough, that is the hard truth. This book will definitely stick with me. I think the big takeaway is to treat others with kindness because you actually don't know what they are suffering through. There are way too many Judes in this world and we need to be fully cognizant of that and not assume that everyone we meet has had a normal/typical childhood, even if they present that way.

chriunit's review against another edition

5.0

4.75⭐️
-0.25 parce qu’il y a des longueurs

amandacappetto's review against another edition

2.0

i only made it to page 420, and it was rough getting there. convince me this book is actually good, and i might finish it.

taylorlong's review against another edition

5.0

I can’t even rate this book anything less than 5 stars even if I wanted to. If you read this book, you understand why.
The writing and story was so raw and beautiful.
Jude deserved so much better than the life he was handed. If you plan to read this book please keep an open mind.

jbindy's review against another edition

5.0

Devastating. The sheer emotional ambition of this novel is almost unimaginable, but Yanagihara somehow pulls off an emotional tour-de-force without compromising the integrity or believability of her characters. Although unspeakable tragedy and abuse, and the life-long physical and psychological traumas resulting from it, are central features of this story, the true heart of this novel lies in its portrayals of friendship, love, and chosen family. It is the novel's characterizations of mutual dependency and unconditional love that shine brightest in this Tragedy, despite the omnipresent shadow of pain and loss that Yanagihara imposes on her characters.

dmoatmeat's review against another edition

4.0

5 stars for the writing, talent, craft, vocabulary and mastery that went into this book....I couldn't put it down. However, the subject matter (as is real life) is so upsetting, depressing and sad that I hesitate to review it 5 stars. I would feel badly if someone read this based on my 5 star review (however unlikely) and then was horribly triggered by the subjects. This book spans the life of four college friends with one of them, Jude, as their center. Their life stories are pretty severely messed up and Jude's life as a child prostitute in a monastery before he runs away to college is extremely hard to read. Life is ugly though, and this is a beautifully crafted book, just go into it knowing what you're in for.

jko_bcyu's review against another edition

challenging 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

anothermeaganreads's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

2.5