A Little Life in 101 Books to Read Before You Die

Jun 15, 2017 Jaclyn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own-in-print, favorites

Well I'll be carrying that story around with me forever. ...more

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Dec 23, 2015 Irene rated it really liked it

This is an emotionally saturated novel about the power and limitations of love. At over 700 pages, it is not easy to summarize this story of destructive and nurturing relationships in a concise fashion. I understand why this novel has received such favorable reactions. It offers characters so amazingly caring and supportive, a central character so broken but so beautiful despite that, lives so blessed with success, fame, wealth and friendship that a reader may wish to linger in their company far ...more

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Feb 09, 2017 Alana rated it liked it

It took me from August until February to finish this. Mostly because I kept putting it down for long stretches. I was interested in where the story was headed, but it just didn't draw me back in once I set it down. I feel like I need to create a whole other genre bookshelf for this one called "emotionally draining and depressing."

I had the same problem through the novel that I did at the start; I had a hard time distinguishing between the various characters, and the characters don't really chang It took me from August until February to finish this. Mostly because I kept putting it down for long stretches. I was interested in where the story was headed, but it just didn't draw me back in once I set it down. I feel like I need to create a whole other genre bookshelf for this one called "emotionally draining and depressing."

I had the same problem through the novel that I did at the start; I had a hard time distinguishing between the various characters, and the characters don't really change through the novel, they stay with basically the same types that they start with in college. I don't know ANYONE who stays that static through their lives. Even Jude, the center of it all, with all the drama associated with him, doesn't really change, he just allows more of his inner self out throughout the story, but he doesn't really grow.

While some of it was insightful (was Yanagihara trying to process through a loved one/family member's depression and anger over tragic events, or did she ever face it herself?), most of it was painfully, agonizingly emotional and torturous to read. It was SOOOO long and just felt like it was sprinkled with enough pleasant moments to keep the reader hoping for something better. It was depressing and made me angry. Andy must be the worst doctor ever, for his lack of professionalism and resolve and his friends were enabling cowards, though they did try to love him in the best way they knew how, however unimaginatively. I think they didn't love him ENOUGH to give him the love he needed, to make him help himself out of the horrible pit he had been thrown into by the world.

Am I glad I read it? I don't feel like it was a complete waste of my time, but I would not read it again and there are very few people I would recommend it to. Not something to dive into if you want a pick-me-up, for sure. VERY adult, extremely difficult situations to read, way beyond PG-13 or R rating for content.

I want to call it about a 2.5 but will round up to 3 stars, because some of the writing really was very poetic and beautiful, if painful. ...more

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Apr 15, 2015 Megan (ReadingRover) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: x-goodreads-challenge-16, x-hot-listens-audio-challenge-2016, x-chunky-books-2016

This book. What to say about this book? Yes it was long and yes it was depressing but it was written beautifully and the characters infiltrate your heart.
It's about four friends who meet in college and their lives over the next several decades. Really though, it's about Jude St Francis. It's about his life and his struggles and his relationships. It's about the people who love him and the people who have hurt him. It's about his success and his disabilities. It's about everything he has overcom ...more

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