The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! š
mtmarriott's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
I read this after seeing the National Theatre Live showing of the play adaptation with James Norton. The play I found undeniably powerful but ultimately too much for one sitting and I didnāt know if the harrowing events quite justified the means. While I think it would be hard to adapt this to the screen I think a miniseries would be the perfect avenue: both because of the length of the story and because it allows for the horror of what happens to Jude to be spread out over several instalments instead of in one traumatising go. The Dr. Traylor subplot and Willemās death I find tip the tragedy of the story into misery porn (Jude has to be the most unfortunate character in all of literature?) but the rest of the novel I find perfectly believable in its abusive horror. Yanagihara is also a really wonderful writer and she captures the intangible logic behind self-loathing so well as well as the heartbreak one can feel when a friend or family member struggles to love themselves. Iād really love to read other viewpoints since itās become such a divisive novel but I for one have found it deeply sorrowful and rewarding in equal measure.
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
mmcgsa's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug abuse
morgane3471's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Sadly, I wish I didnāt. And not because of what others said. Yes I agree this book is sad and you should definitely check TW before reading it. But it didnāt work on me. I was expecting more layers ? Something else ?Ā
I enjoyed the writing style, the friendship and the way Judeās story is slowed told to us.Ā
Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Car accident, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Rape, and Self harm
lenaschwr_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual violence, Self harm, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Death, Child abuse, Body shaming, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Rape, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder
rogier_vdw's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
oreer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Body horror, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, and Ableism
red_headed_book_slut's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Rape, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Sexual assault
madalynedwards's review against another edition
- 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 contains many, many, many trigger warnings.Ā
ā
Iāll probably go back and add on to this review later but itās 2 a.m. and I just finished this book and I am not okay.Ā
Did I read this book because I knew it was supposedly heart wrenching and I wanted it to rip my heart out and smash it into thousands of tiny pieces? Yes. Was I prepared? No.Ā
Okay, so Iām going to be honest, this was *almost* a DNF for me. I listened to it on audiobook at 3x speed and found myself losing interest. But I kept on trucking until 30% where I couldnāt decide if I wanted to DNF it or not. I rarely DNF a book, not that I think thereās anything wrong with DNFing, but I heard incredible reviews and wanted to keep going. I picked it back up a few days later and listened to the remaining 70% of this 800+ page novel without pressing pause. I was hooked - I couldnāt help but feel that if I put the book down, I would be abandoning the characters in their darkest times, and I so desperately wanted to see them overcome their demons and trauma (I did a little happy gasp when I got to the section titled āThe Happy Daysā, but rest assured friends, the happy days are not the final days.) The characters are beautifully flawed, well developed, and beautifully written. The strongest feeling I felt as I read was that of prolonged despair. Judeās abusive past leads him to sabotaging himself, thinking he is not worthy of happiness or joy or love or, during some instances, life itself. And itās heartbreaking. Itās absolutely gut wrenching.Ā
Jude, it seems, was the unluckiest individual growing up. Jude made a comment in the later half of the book how he has been lucky all his life, but that is not true. The main criticism I have of the book is that I found myself thinking āsurely one person cannot go through all of thisāā¦ it seems like Jude was in the wrong place at the wrong time every time. When he would reveal details about himself in little pieces, I would find myself thinking āthis is the terrible trauma Jude endured that has resulted in his thoughts and motivesā¦ā but no, each passing chapter would peel back another layer of trauma he endured. I found myself wondering how one person could endure so many traumatic events, and during times wondered why the author was adding to these layers of trauma even after Jude had been through so much. So yeah, the main emotion, along with anger (for those who wronged Jude - and trust me, there are a lot) I felt while reading was despair. Pure and utter despair.Ā
Graphic: Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Death, Medical trauma, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide, Abandonment, Ableism, Grief, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Blood, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
catsandbeets's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Suicide, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual content, Rape, Mental illness, Homophobia, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Chronic illness
firdaws's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Blood, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse
Minor: Rape