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A review by lindsaylhunter
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really don't know where to start with this book. However beautifully Yanagihara writes, I can't ignore that this book is a grotesquerie masquerading as what many would say is the next great American novel.
I believe that all forms of media that tell a story—be it a book, a movie or a play—need to allow their respective audiences to bask in truly joyful moments, however brief, but there was almost no reprieve from the miseries thrown at the main character in this book, and even his "happy" moments were undercut by his perpetual self-loathing. I understand that the author wanted to showcase the limits of human suffering (and the seemingly endless content warnings attached seem to prove that), but I can't in good conscience give this one any higher a rating than I have done. It truly reached a point where each new misery brought a sense of tedium to the story.
All that said, I enjoyed the shuffling of narratives and being left to guess who was doing the speaking. I'll never deny the author the credit she deserves for making so many people feel so deeply for fictional characters.
I believe that all forms of media that tell a story—be it a book, a movie or a play—need to allow their respective audiences to bask in truly joyful moments, however brief, but there was almost no reprieve from the miseries thrown at the main character in this book, and even his "happy" moments were undercut by his perpetual self-loathing. I understand that the author wanted to showcase the limits of human suffering (and the seemingly endless content warnings attached seem to prove that), but I can't in good conscience give this one any higher a rating than I have done. It truly reached a point where each new misery brought a sense of tedium to the story.
All that said, I enjoyed the shuffling of narratives and being left to guess who was doing the speaking. I'll never deny the author the credit she deserves for making so many people feel so deeply for fictional characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Drug abuse, Violence, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship