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Original poster

Anyone read ‘A Little Life’?

40 replies

Stripeyblue · 19/08/2018 11:19

This book keeps coming up as a recommendation on Audible and Amazon. Many of the reviews are amazing but many also warn of it being traumatic to read. How upsetting is it? I’m not adverse to challenging subject matter but struggle reading about children being hurt. Anyone read it?

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CakeBeTheFoodOfLove · 02/09/2018 17:32

I also found Jude very selfish, and quite unlikeable really.

WipsGlitter · 02/09/2018 12:53

I've just finished it. I did really enjoy it but would have preferred more about all of the characters. Having said that it was too long!! I also found Jude very selfish.

Pootle40 · 30/08/2018 21:49

I gave up the first time about 50 pages in. Went back to it and beyond that point got much better. In the end I loved it but it was harrowing (which personally i am ok with)

Charley50 · 30/08/2018 21:47

I'm so glad lots of other people didn't like it!

FourFriedChickensDryWhiteToast · 30/08/2018 19:23

" I don't think I've gained anything by reading it. " -totally agree.
And it doesn't demand anything of the reader other than reading it, IYKWIM.
Really bad book with zero research and no plot.

Troubleandstrifebagforlife · 30/08/2018 18:46

Totally agree with people who describe this as a misery memoir style book.
It was so unrelentingly awful and unbelievable
I tried to persuade others to read it but no body could bear it

CakeBeTheFoodOfLove · 28/08/2018 21:31

Just finished this today. I felt so empty the whole time I was reading it. Don't think I would recommend it to anyone really, I don't think I've gained anything by reading it.

codswallopandbalderdash · 26/08/2018 21:00

It's good but a bit of an unrelenting misery fest of abuse

Frouby · 26/08/2018 18:55

Started it but couldn't get beyond about 7%.

I didn't particularly like The Goldfinch tho. Thought the first 1/4 was fantastic, lost the will to live about 2/3s of the way through and skipped to the last bit. Which I dont think I could tell you now and I read it this year.

pollyhemlock · 26/08/2018 17:45

It is weirdly detached from real life events: so, you have a story set in the 1970s onward about gay men which makes no mention of the AIDS epidemic? The main character works in finance, but no mention of the crash? They all live in New York in the 2000s but no mention of 9/11? Also the ‘good’ characters are unfeaslbly saintly while the ‘bad’ ones are utterly utterly horrible. The most interesting character, JB, just fades out halfway through. None of it rang true for me.

bookworm14 · 26/08/2018 11:18

Hate it. Nasty torture porn masquerading as literature.

Reader1303 · 26/08/2018 11:16

I thought it was terrible - badly written, manipulative and ridiculously over the top.

chorusline79 · 24/08/2018 19:11

Hands down the most depressing book I have ever read! Very long, and unrelenting.

shumway · 24/08/2018 16:40

I thought it was complete drivel.

CakeBeTheFoodOfLove · 24/08/2018 16:33

I'm still slogging on with this - I'm 37% of the way through and I'm still wondering when it migjt get more interesting. Although saying that, for some reason I can't seem to stop reading it...... Maybe it's all the rave reviews I've read about it that makes me keep thinking it might improve.....!

Spanglyprincess1 · 24/08/2018 13:03

I loved it but it made me wrap. Read it. On 13 Hoour flight and cried a lot

Storminateacup74 · 24/08/2018 13:01

Literally just put the phone down from my mum who is reading this at the moment. She was telling me how harrowing it is.

FourFriedChickensDryWhiteToast · 24/08/2018 11:31

Atrocious book, really badly written , with zero research.. Just kind of dull, pretentious misery porn.

dreaming174 · 24/08/2018 11:28

Maybe I need to persevere, I got through the first 2-3 chapters, but nothing happens? Found it pretty dull. I'll try and keep going...

Spartacunt · 22/08/2018 10:24

I think you'd enjoy The Heart's Invisible Furies - beautiful book, amazing story.

HappydaysArehere · 22/08/2018 10:06

Read it and finished it but wouldn’t recommend it unless you want to wallow in misery.

iamawoman · 19/08/2018 19:21

It started out really good / intriguing, but I ended up feeling like a was reading the equivalent of a torture porn film. The level of misery and sappiness at the end really ruined what could have a good book. I wouldn't waste several hours of a 'little life' reading it

AnyFucker · 19/08/2018 19:19

I thought it was crap

The writing is atrocious

glamorousgrandmother · 19/08/2018 19:16

We read it for my book club. I wouldn't recommend it. I kept flicking through to see if it ever got any better but it was relentless misery. I didn't warm to the main character either.

Nightmanagerfan · 19/08/2018 19:15

Oh yes do read The Goldfinch first if you haven’t already.

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