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A review by cecifeli
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
1.5
A very tragic layered story. It just seemed like a lot. At times, I would roll my eyes bc of what kept happening. Idk how to feel abt it. Reading it sucked, it felt like I was witnessing a car crash (no pun intended lol). It was too painful and visceral. You can tell it’s great writing and character development, must as a practical person, it just seemed like highly stylized trauma and melodramatic suffering.
Don’t get me wrong (i’m not heartless), sometimes it was tender and sweet. It was just a lot to handle and it seemed like a very unrealistic, deranged situation. (I know it’s fiction, and I know it’s purpose is not to reflect real life. But the trauma upon trauma upon trauma, made me detached from the story, and it felt at times I was reading a telenovela.)
Amazing writing and pacing. A real page turner even though sometimes you were so heartbroken that the last you’d wanna do is find out what happens next. Fully fledged characters and a slow steady pace. Yanagihara is a very talented writer. I read it in 3 days.
I didn’t like it. I didn’t cry (not that that matters). Not for the faint hearted though. Made me reflect. Sometimes I think it’s decent, sometimes I thinks it’s torture porn (this is up for the readers interpretation). Idk if I’ll read more from her.
PS By unrealistic i mean this:
Idk how to feel abt Jude’s entourage, I think they should’ve pushed harder into therapy and hospitals and help in general. This is my bone to pick w the author. But hell, what do I know?
Don’t get me wrong (i’m not heartless), sometimes it was tender and sweet. It was just a lot to handle and it seemed like a very unrealistic, deranged situation. (I know it’s fiction, and I know it’s purpose is not to reflect real life. But the trauma upon trauma upon trauma, made me detached from the story, and it felt at times I was reading a telenovela.)
Amazing writing and pacing. A real page turner even though sometimes you were so heartbroken that the last you’d wanna do is find out what happens next. Fully fledged characters and a slow steady pace. Yanagihara is a very talented writer. I read it in 3 days.
I didn’t like it. I didn’t cry (not that that matters). Not for the faint hearted though. Made me reflect. Sometimes I think it’s decent, sometimes I thinks it’s torture porn (this is up for the readers interpretation). Idk if I’ll read more from her.
PS By unrealistic i mean this:
Idk how to feel abt Jude’s entourage, I think they should’ve pushed harder into therapy and hospitals and help in general. This is my bone to pick w the author. But hell, what do I know?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abortion