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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?

OP posts:
Nightmanagerfan · 19/08/2018 19:14

I really got a lot out of reading it, even though I would be hesitant to say I enjoyed it. Most narratives around people who have hard lives show some sort of redemptive arc - they get through it somehow and become a stronger person. I think the author was trying to write a more real life version of the bad childhood narrative. It’s beautiful and harrowing and has given me more empathy.

southeastdweller · 19/08/2018 19:08

I adored it. I didn't find any of it shocking or depressing and by the end I felt tremendous empathy for Jude. She really gets into that character's head.

I also loved The Goldfinch.

Original poster
Stripeyblue · 19/08/2018 17:22

Thanks for the recommendation Charley. I really liked The Virgin Suicides so will give it a try.

I’ve just finished The Goldfinch and I’m missing it. I really need something else to get my teeth into.

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CakeBeTheFoodOfLove · 19/08/2018 15:28

I'm reading this at the moment, kindle says 12% through and I'm wondering whether to carry on as I find my attention waning while reading it. I feel like I'm missing something.....

Charley50 · 19/08/2018 13:47

Read or listen to Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides instead. Brilliant book.

Original poster
Stripeyblue · 19/08/2018 11:56

TheTurn blimey! Fair enough, think I’ll give it a miss!

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TheTurnOfTheScrew · 19/08/2018 11:52

Child abuse, self harm, drug addiction, violence in intimate relationships, chronic pain and disability, grief and loss. There's a lot there, and if you're wondering if you can manage an upsetting book I would say avoid.

Original poster
Stripeyblue · 19/08/2018 11:49

Mixed opinions!

The misery centres around child abuse?

OP posts:
TheTurnOfTheScrew · 19/08/2018 11:47

I didn't like it. Yes, Yanagihara can write. But I didn't find any of the main characters particularly believable or well-drawn. And the misery is SO completely unrelenting that I became almost desensitised to it , by the end just simply nodding along with the next in a life of horribly tragic occurrences.

Imfinehowareyou · 19/08/2018 11:45

I agree with Charley. It mainly focuses on one character and you don't get to know the other three friends that well at all. It was very far fetched and I ended up hating the main character which left me feeling very evil as you were meant to be sympathetic. It was an exhausting book to read.

Bananapud · 19/08/2018 11:41

I loved it. I found it profoundly moving and, since reading it last year, I haven’t yet read another book which matched up to it. I have recommended it to loads of friends who have also loved it.

Charley50 · 19/08/2018 11:35

I found it to pretty horrible actually. Completely unbelievable storyline. Highbrow misery lit meets Mills and Boon. I don't know why it's so popular.
Also the font is tiny and spaced very close together.

MaggotDeath · 19/08/2018 11:30

Yes I found some parts difficult to read. On the whole i enjoyed it, but I found some of the storyline a bit unbelieveable, and that ruined slightly it for me.

Original poster
Stripeyblue · 19/08/2018 11:26

Thanks pigeon. I think it looks amazing too but maybe it isn’t for me.

I’ve skirted around it for months!

OP posts:
pigeondujour · 19/08/2018 11:23

It's an amazing book but it really is quite upsetting, and does have a fair stretch of the description you mention.