Honest Q, am I the only one who hated this book. Pls only respond if you also didn’t like it/hated it. (I understand plenty of people LOVED it). It might have been that I only listened on audible, and the narrator reminded me of the Grapes of Wrath narrator. With the book I’d have skipped slow parts
I really wanna understand what people find beautiful about this book and how you don’t see it as some of the most irresponsible and indulgent torture porn ever written.
I bought the hardback of To Paradise on release, the mammoth is still sitting there unread as I keep forgetting it's there, despite it's size! I liked A Little Life.
This is one of the few books I loved but wouldn’t recommend someone to read. Someone in my silent book club is reading it and I just hope she has a good support system lmao
I remember having to get off a bus because I nearly passed out. That was new. As for the story, I struggled with the improbably fantastic careers of the main characters and the unrelenting grimness of his plight. In the end, the sheer power of her writing won out. I recommended it to everyone.
Having read it, I struggle so much to understand the popularity of this book. It seemed to me a soap opera-like melodrama not really balanced by any deep insight
For me, the plot lines in the second half of the book were such that I was unable to suspend disbelief. Ploughed through to the end but wouldn’t do it again.
One of my favorite works on the human condition and the cataclysmic effects of baring your own burdens. This book taught me so much about why we as people, need other people.
loved it when I was in early 20s but solely small passages + probably cos was in a social circle where “trauma” was currency. With time and hindsight incredibly poorly written for the most part. That many shitty things CAN happen to one person but it became ludicrously laid out
I read it and I'm still in disbelief about it.
It's the only book I'm not recommending to anyone but at the same time I think it would lead to amazing conversations. Someone said it's misery porn and I agree but it's so well written that I couldn't put it down.
Still, don't read it people
I must say that “A Little Life” was the absolutely most depressing novel I’ve ever read. I forced myself to finish it and felt wiped out at the end. I wonder if it’s just me.
I understand all the criticisms surrounding it, but man I haven’t thought about a character after finishing a book for as long as I thought about Jude. Ending was a gut punch, felt like I’d lost a real person.
It depends on how you define bad. I would call it good actually, for how long it stayed with me and all the discourse in my head around the themes. I’d NOT recommend if you or someone close suffers from depression or trauma). I think trauma porn is a pretty accurate descriptor, lol
As with all my books, I used to bring this everywhere to read so I don't have to find myself scrolling through newsfeeds on my phone. The supermarket, the restaurant, my daughters' school, the salon, the airport. Bad idea. Any other recommendations on books that can break your heart?
I actually really enjoyed this! So many complain about it being ‘trauma porn’ but it’s actually quite accurate to how trauma is experienced in a cyclical way. That, and I really love the way that Yanagihara writes friendship in a way that I think is lacking in other books! 🤩
incredible book!!! it was SO tough! had to put it down after every 70-80
pages to take time out from the emotional punches. Worth finishing though : wonderful book.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. I’m all for books that explore tough themes, but this book lacked the depth and purpose to justify the sheer amount of suffering. After I finished it, the whole thing felt meaningless to me.
Me too - have never felt so manipulated by a writer - not helped by reading an interview where she basically said it was on purpose. There’s no hope and not much nuance - just a deliberate effort to immerse the reader in total misery. I deeply disliked it.
Brexit,the cost so far.
The fact that Starmer,Red Tory,
wishes to keep Brexit,the one that Cameron,Blue Tory,gave us all,is mind-boggling to say the least.BILLIONS IN DEBT. https://costofbrexit.netlify.app/
I’m struggling through this at the moment, mainly because of my dyslexia and university work. I haven’t progressed past pg 150 yet but I can already tell this book will ruin me…
Wow coming in hot 🔥 - definitely know how to get #bskybook engagement 😂 - personally absolutely love this book and have friends who love and hate me for recommending it to them
whenever i see someone reading that in public, i always hope they have a therapist on hand lol. that being said, despite my criticisms of it, it’s a deeply beautiful book
i think so! but also do take your time with it/stop if you need to bc it is heavy, despite the wonderfully heartwarming parts. it doesn’t jump into the intensity straight away, but once it does… 😅
In a case of judging a book by its cover, I’ve seen this book recommended many times but just could NOT get over the other cover art. Since I haven’t read it I don’t know if dude is having an orgasm, crying, sleeping? Anyway, maybe I’ll read it now that it has alternate cover art.
A truly horrific work of art. Emotionally juvenile torture porn; an aspirational gay Hallmark movie that would have been rejected before it made it to TV, parading as a “big book.” (One wonders why…)
Agreed. Not much more panache than a teenager adding layers of sexual assault to a character. Masquerading as a book about male connection, shame and vulnerability. Disservice to gay men tbh. Loved it when I was younger, bawled but I’m grown now
I liked your post because I liked the way your bookshelf looked in the background. After reading the comments, I don’t want to read this book, but also want to read this book.
Comments
Right, reminds me I should check whether she has another one coming...
It's the only book I'm not recommending to anyone but at the same time I think it would lead to amazing conversations. Someone said it's misery porn and I agree but it's so well written that I couldn't put it down.
Still, don't read it people
One one hand it is a lot of trauma, but it is well written in some parts
I have read in the last decade.❤️
Both/and, people, both/and
pages to take time out from the emotional punches. Worth finishing though : wonderful book.
(I haven't read it. I'm not sure I'm up to it emotionally.)
Loved it.
Not sure if that was the test though.
The fact that Starmer,Red Tory,
wishes to keep Brexit,the one that Cameron,Blue Tory,gave us all,is mind-boggling to say the least.BILLIONS IN DEBT.
https://costofbrexit.netlify.app/
https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/the-story-behind-the-peter-hujar-cover-photo-a-little-life