Finding A Little Life quite hard to get into

[PracticallyPerfectedIt]

I've heard so much about this book, I thought it would be a masterpiece I'd be drawn into, but 5 nights in and I'm struggling to get into it.

The main characters seem so unlikeable and unbelievable, the whole set up is nothing I can picture or relate to.

I'm a few chapters in and it feels like a slog, I've got a long way to go. Do I keep going? Is it worth it?

It is an abominable book. Throw it out and read something else, better yet burn it and save the second hand bookshops from having masses of this misery porn being donated to them. Life is too short to waste on shite books like that.

Eek I wish I'd not read it. Some episodes have stayed with me.

Exact same!!

I read it, hated it. Very similar experience to The Goldfinch. Thought I ought to read it as everyone was raving, but both left me cold.

Brilliant. Thanks all. I've picked up a Gentleman in Moscow in advance of the TV series coming out. I loved Rules of Civility by the same author.

Gentleman in Moscow is absolutely great - just 100x better than a little life

Same. First time I did give up early on but once passed first few chapters I thought it was a page turner.

Didn’t finish it. Not for me.

Possibly one of the worst books I've had the misfortune to read. Save yourself the misery and shit writing and stop now.

Oh, thank GOD. I thought there was something wrong with me because all my (clever, well-read) mates were drooling over A Little Life and I just thought it was dry, unreadable, depressing shite.

Hated The Goldfinch too. I'm just not good with Great American Novels, I think.

It's awful. I tried very hard to get into it but gave up in the end. Loved the goldfinch though!

Dd15 finished the book before we went to see the stage play (albeit at the cinema, I didn't have a three hour play in my poor hips).

She adored it and cried her eyes out. I've been trying on and off since the Autumn but I'm crap at finishing books.

Adored the play. Outstanding. Couldn't move at the end. There were 9 of us in the cinema and you could hear all of us breathing at the end, with a lot of weeping too. No one moved for about 5 minutes.

It was awful - I skipped pages and pages of descriptions of abuse. I persevered because of a friend's recommendation.

I’m finding it hard to envisage the play, given that the novel was such self-indulgent hurt/comfort-style twaddle, which relied on the reader having the same high opinion of Jude as his creator, even as she piled him with new tortures every page or two. I’m afraid I imagined it as an actor sitting in the middle of the stage looking anguished and cutting himself and/or cake-baking, while other figures walked on from the wings every so often, delivered a line and then beat him/threw him down the stairs/abused him/mocked him/raped him/died on him.

I know that reviewers generally considered it an excellent production of a problematic source text, but James Norton must be VERY good indeed to carry it off.

I saw the play and I had to leave in the interval. Have never done this before. I honestly couldn't hack any more misery.

@GlassCeling he was. All the actors were extraordinary. Given that didn't know the book and DD had just given me a quick rundown I was blown away.

DD and I see a lot of theatre together. I honestly considered that I might need to leave early due to my menopausal bedtime requirements! I could barely blink I didn't want to miss anything.

The self harm scenes and scenes where JN was naked/raped were played and staged so well.

Also there was a real joy to having the best view in the theatre behind the camera!

I also found it fascinating seeing how many places he could eat as part of the play to help with his diabetes management!

The play literally relies on James Norton being absolutely exceptional for 4 hours non-stop. He really is an exceptional actor with an unbelievable range. He carries the play and if not for him it would be actual torture for the audience.

@XelaM yes I think you have it there really.

I don't know how a person acts like that night after night.

He's truly an unbelievably talented actor and such a nice guy! He spent absolutely ages outside the theatre talking to every fan (after the 4-hour gruelling performance) way past midnight. No one would have blamed him if he just went home, but he was so chatty and lovely with every person there.

I cannot think of another actor who is this versatile. He is absolutely brilliant and so so believable as all these completely different (and mostly polar opposite) characters:

Alex in McMafia;
the priest in Granchester;
Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley;
Jude in A Little Life.

Plus, he's Cambridge-educated and beautiful. Some people have it all 😍

I'm so glad that I missed the hype around the book when it first came out.

All I've heard since is people saying that they're struggling get into it or that they persevered and wished that they hadn't bothered.

Life's too short to waste time on books I'll probably hate so the warnings have been greatly appreciated.

I haven't read it, but all I seem to hear is how miserable it all is, which doesn't really appeal. I prefer to read books that retain some sense of hope, even if there are struggles and challenges along the way.

Life is depressing enough without reading a book about how awful everything is, and (from what I've heard) has no real hope in the end either.

I read 'Young Mungo' by Douglas Stewart which I think is a book in a similar vein, but more hopeful. I really recommend that - it was a beautiful book and sad but the characters were lovable and whilst it was devastating, there was hope.