loar reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
None
DNF @ 20 %
Hardcover, 736 pages
English language
Published Nov. 8, 2015 by Doubleday.
A Little Life
4 stars
(63 reviews)
When four classmates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they're broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their center of gravity. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he'll not only be unable to overcome -- but that will define his life forever
Man Booker Prize for Fiction shortlist, 2015
Mat reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Beautiful portrayal of male friendships
4 stars
After several months listening to the 32 hours of this audiobook, with a story that spanned several decades, I feel I've been on a massive journey with all these characters, which was as beautiful as it was bleak. I've not read many books that explore male friendships in a way that go me thinking about my own, and often reminded me of the film Stand By Me.
I didn't know much about this book when I started listening to it, which perhaps was for the best as I didn't know how bleak it would become at times, and later a friend would tell me it has received much criticism for this. However, I feel very grateful for all the very tender and warm moments in the book, which were perhaps enhanced by the incredible narration from Oliver Wyman.
Otts reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Like Aronofsky’s “Mother!” the pain is the point.
Challenging in every sense of the word. The unrelenting abuse inflicted on Jude felt like torture porn. I threw my hands up repeatedly wondering if such extremes were an intentional choice. Alternately exploitative and compelling to explore the mindset of someone so mistreated as well as those around him. Goes on too long. A genuine art experience from a book. I’m grateful for it but don’t need to repeat. Both 5 stars and 0, so no rating.
oatmilk_alex reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'A Little Life' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
Quotes from this will probably keep me up at night. It’s too real.. I just felt emptiness.
I guess read this if you want 800 pages of suffering… I now feel like I can read anything though!
Quotes from this will probably keep me up at night. It’s too real.. I just felt emptiness.
I guess read this if you want 800 pages of suffering… I now feel like I can read anything though!
I guess read this if you want 800 pages of suffering… I now feel like I can read anything though!
jayemar reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'A Little Life' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Wow. That was unlike anything I've ever read. Such beautiful prose and such a gut-wrenching story. It's hard to imagine the emotional strength and creativity required to write this book.
aetheras reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'A Little Life' on 'Goodreads'
1 star
disgusting book.
billybooknews reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'A Little Life' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Well that was rough
k1dokuu reviewed Ein wenig Leben by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'Ein wenig Leben' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Emotional damage.
Addendum: It is brilliant! Because of the time span this book covers, it almost feels like an epic fantasy. It's definitely a long read, but I actually didn't feel bored at any point. It made me feel things - not sadness, tbh, but pain, guilt, hate and anger. The book slaps the abysses of humanity right in your face. "A Little Life" is at the same time both exaggerated and realistic.
I may read it again in the future to understand how all the clues are woven into the story. Despite loving this book very much, I won't be able to recommend it unreservedly to friends and family. At least not without the list of trigger warnings.
serverbee reviewed Uma Vida Pequena by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'Uma Vida Pequena' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I finished it and wished I could reread it immediately. Soak it in every word, again, more.
kab reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
A Little Life
2 stars
Struggles presented as universal take on a quality of mocking delusion when the excess of protagonists (only male voices) all become famous millionaires at the top of their fields who own fabulous and plural homes and have access to private jets and Alhambra strolls. The decided main character also has riches in an expansive circle of equally jet-setting friends who over the span of decades never give up on him despite constant vehement testing-our-friendship pushback. We’re told they remain devoted and compassionate yet none ever actually do rudimentary research on how to, if not guide him to knowledgeable help, talk to him and make steps to reposition the thinking and identity of a friend who has lived through extremities of harm. The glamour and American dreaming has its counterbalance in a childhood filled with horrors heaped on horrors of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse.
Even if it had been thoughtfully …
Struggles presented as universal take on a quality of mocking delusion when the excess of protagonists (only male voices) all become famous millionaires at the top of their fields who own fabulous and plural homes and have access to private jets and Alhambra strolls. The decided main character also has riches in an expansive circle of equally jet-setting friends who over the span of decades never give up on him despite constant vehement testing-our-friendship pushback. We’re told they remain devoted and compassionate yet none ever actually do rudimentary research on how to, if not guide him to knowledgeable help, talk to him and make steps to reposition the thinking and identity of a friend who has lived through extremities of harm. The glamour and American dreaming has its counterbalance in a childhood filled with horrors heaped on horrors of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse.
Even if it had been thoughtfully pruned and calibrated to a relatable scale, the novel’s early glimmers of resonance could not survive the author’s carrel of privilege and vision for suffering. The exploration of the aftermath of childhood trauma and the role of friendship in the potentiality of healing is weightily disrespected.
airdog reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
handle with care
4 stars
You need to be either sadist or masochist to endure this work without too much damage. At least 600 of the 720 pages of the book are intense descriptions of intricate sufferings. But I can tell you that you'll never look at your relationship with your significant other the same way ever again as she delves during the whole book on the relationship between the sufferer (Jude) and his friend/lover Willem. Yanagihara in her pursuit of pain is merciless and follows each ramifications to it's bitter end. A life changing work for me.
georgewhatup reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'A Little Life' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
3.5
This book makes me really want to discuss it with other people. The writing is beautiful and the detail the author finds in so many walks of life is fantastic. Everyone said it was sad and they weren't wrong, there are some sad parts, but overall I'd classify it as depressing more than sad.
How much trauma is enough to justify being a bad person? To not even want to be better even though you have the tools available to try and you're hurting all those around you by not doing it? I don't know, but this book made me think about it a lot.
The characters are interesting, the 'privilege porn' is fun if a little on the nose. Seriously, all the main characters are ultra high functioning success stories, live in beautiful places and travel to stunning exotic locations as well as being super gifted both artistically …
3.5
This book makes me really want to discuss it with other people. The writing is beautiful and the detail the author finds in so many walks of life is fantastic. Everyone said it was sad and they weren't wrong, there are some sad parts, but overall I'd classify it as depressing more than sad.
How much trauma is enough to justify being a bad person? To not even want to be better even though you have the tools available to try and you're hurting all those around you by not doing it? I don't know, but this book made me think about it a lot.
The characters are interesting, the 'privilege porn' is fun if a little on the nose. Seriously, all the main characters are ultra high functioning success stories, live in beautiful places and travel to stunning exotic locations as well as being super gifted both artistically and professionally with a deep knowledge of any high culture they can reel off at any time. This ain't a book about having to come to grips with not being good/rich/famous/smart enough.
Glad I read it, look forward to a spirited discussion about it with someone in the future.
FuzzyJJ reviewed Een klein leven by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'Een klein leven' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Long time ago that I read a book that I had to put away every now and then because it did so much to me emotionally. It's not a happy story but that doesn't make the book any less.
annewalk reviewed A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'A Little Life' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
The writing is beautiful and goes a long way in redeeming some of the book’s weaknesses. It really is the best writing I’ve read in a while. Early on, someone asked me how the book I was reading was and I’d said that it was devastatingly beautiful. The problem is that, as good as the writing is, Three quarters of the way through, I just wanted it to end.
Some issues:
The book says it’s about the relationship between four men but it’s really only about two of them and, even then, leans heavily in the direction of one man - Jude - and his tragic life. The story is really about him.
Malcolm is nearly invisible as a character. Why does this character exist?
The whole second half of the book could have been lopped off. It would have been an excellent book. Instead, it goes on too long …
The writing is beautiful and goes a long way in redeeming some of the book’s weaknesses. It really is the best writing I’ve read in a while. Early on, someone asked me how the book I was reading was and I’d said that it was devastatingly beautiful. The problem is that, as good as the writing is, Three quarters of the way through, I just wanted it to end.
Some issues:
The book says it’s about the relationship between four men but it’s really only about two of them and, even then, leans heavily in the direction of one man - Jude - and his tragic life. The story is really about him.
Malcolm is nearly invisible as a character. Why does this character exist?
The whole second half of the book could have been lopped off. It would have been an excellent book. Instead, it goes on too long and is too focused on Jude’s brokenness.
Every single person Jude has ever met up until school is evil incarnate.
An adult being adopted? This was unexpected and, because it was such an odd thing, I kept expecting it to figure into the story in a big way but it never really does.
tomek reviewed Małe życie by Hanya Yanagihara
Review of 'Małe życie' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Nienawidzę tej książki.
Autorka trochę na początku oszukuje - książka ma być o czterech młodych przyjaciołach. Jednak szybko okazuje się, że tak nie będzie.
Książka skonstruowana jest idealnie - poprzez liczne retrospekcje jesteśmy uderzani "gorszącymi" scenami. Zaczyna się od małej ranki (dosłownie), kończy się na zmiażdżeniu głowy (dosłownie).
Książka jest niesamowita pod tym względem, że poznajemy życie bohaterów od ich młodości aż do starości i śmierci.
Jeśli tak wygląda życie, to nie chcę żyć. Choć książka ukazała mi, że jedna śmierć, cierpienie prowadzi do kolejnych i w sumie trudno to powstrzymać.
Poznałem bohaterów doszczętnie - ich relacja nie pozwala się zatrzymać, choć w przedostatnim rozdziale odczuwa się głęboką nienawiść do książki.
Ostatni rozdział mnie trochę rozczarował. Wprowadzenie trzeciosobowego narratora powoduje, że czyta się relację dużo lżej, praktycznie bez emocji.
Zastanawia mnie też nagromadzenie homoseksualnych pedofilów w tej książce - w USA wg autorki jest nim sporo kierowców TIRów i braci …
Nienawidzę tej książki.
Autorka trochę na początku oszukuje - książka ma być o czterech młodych przyjaciołach. Jednak szybko okazuje się, że tak nie będzie.
Książka skonstruowana jest idealnie - poprzez liczne retrospekcje jesteśmy uderzani "gorszącymi" scenami. Zaczyna się od małej ranki (dosłownie), kończy się na zmiażdżeniu głowy (dosłownie).
Książka jest niesamowita pod tym względem, że poznajemy życie bohaterów od ich młodości aż do starości i śmierci.
Jeśli tak wygląda życie, to nie chcę żyć. Choć książka ukazała mi, że jedna śmierć, cierpienie prowadzi do kolejnych i w sumie trudno to powstrzymać.
Poznałem bohaterów doszczętnie - ich relacja nie pozwala się zatrzymać, choć w przedostatnim rozdziale odczuwa się głęboką nienawiść do książki.
Ostatni rozdział mnie trochę rozczarował. Wprowadzenie trzeciosobowego narratora powoduje, że czyta się relację dużo lżej, praktycznie bez emocji.
Zastanawia mnie też nagromadzenie homoseksualnych pedofilów w tej książce - w USA wg autorki jest nim sporo kierowców TIRów i braci zakonnych. Same uczucia brzmiałyby realistyczniej, gdyby były podzielone między trzy osoby. Nie mogę uwierzyć, by ktokolwiek na świecie doznał AŻ takich smutnych wydarzeń.
Mimo wszystko książka skojarzyła mi się z opowiadaniami "Autora Silvera" - zwłaszcza z jego "Pierrem i Raimundem". Dostępne za darmo w internecie (legalnie) - polecam przeczytać.
