I thought this video is just going to be full on hating the book, but it is not. I love this book with all my heart, but I have to say it is a flawed book, there are also some things that I don't agree on what the author wrote. Thank you for doing this video
“A Little Life” was a novel that was very different from the usual books I read but yeah I enjoyed and like the book :) The book felt so real in many ways. Thanks for the kind words, I truly do appreciate it.
The reason why no one really helps Jude or the therapy that he partly gets is useless is cause the author does not believe in therapy. I also had the same issues as you, the trauma Jude was experiencing felt very repetitive. I also once read an interview where Yanigahara talks about how she was inspired by a set of photographs where the pictures start with a light one and it gets darker progressively and I think this might explain the way she wrote Jude’s story (and everyone else’s)
Not believing in therapy is well…different to say the least. Jude’s trauma felt very excessive in the novel. The photographs you mentioned very much sound like an inspiration for Jude’s story. Yanigahara wanted to write her novel this way and I get it. I just wish Jude got the proper help he so desperately needed 😞.
It felt not only that it was excessive, but manipulative, as in I could see the author going "feel bad for him, look poor poor guy let him die." I stopped reading where he's kidnapped and healed by some crazed 'doctor'. I had enough at that point but I've been told what happens after and I'm glad I didn't waste any time on it. Sorry for the rant, I'm honestly just leaving a comment to boost Billie's channel
@@SpacemanTheo yeah I definitely agree with your point. It really just feels like this book exists just for the sake of making one feel miserable and i understand why you dnf'd it. i actually would never recommend this book because i find it very harmful to people that are mentally unstable since it has this quite pessimistic and hopeless view on life and mental health
@@noone-wq4fm it's definitely mishandled. I could argue that the author is trying frame a 'should we not treat mental illness the same way as a terminal illness?', but since she did no research into the subject to any capacity that lens just shatters. And if the question falls flat, what about the characters? I find that they too, fall flat due them feeling like mouth pieces for the author. Maybe I'm just jaded from being 'the gay friend' but this book really feels like the Jude is being worn as a status symbol of tragedy, not an actual character. This book had a lot of potential, it's all gone to waste and leaves only a manufactured sour taste.
@@SpacemanTheo Really interesting take. I actually found the characters very round (except for Malcolm because he was just the indecisive one or at least that's what I remember about him) and that was one of the very few things i liked about this book but in that sense, I can see why they feel flat. The sour taste for me also stems from the, what i feel like, is the wrong intention of the author, as mentioned above, she uses this to show that therapy doesn't help. And also, when I read the book and people were trying to figure out Jude's sexuality and someone asks him something like are you gay or are you into men. And he answers with something like 'it's too late for me.' as if the 'gayness' had been implemented on him and that made me a tad uncomfortable because why ?? I understand that he was forced into this and maybe he didn't have all that much motivation to think about his attraction but him being like it's too late for me ... That really leaves a sour taste.
Thank you for this thoughtful video, it's one of the better ones I've seen about this book. I highly recommend this video on youtube called "Euthanasia Fan Fiction" by Owl Criticism. It's long, but the guy uses the book and interviews with Yanagihara to make the case that the book is genuinely harmful, and is trying to convince people with trauma to end their lives rather than trying to heal. Given the way you expressed your thoughts, I think you'd appreciate that one also.
I haven’t watched Owl Criticisms video but it has popped up on my home page, I’ll check it out 👍🏾. I feel like I’m constantly learning more and more about Yanagihara, I definitely check out Owl’s video.
Put this book down at 370 pages in. I've uploaded my own review/rant about the book on my channel. Just reading what I read of the book was agony. Can't imagine going all the way through. I can't help but view the book as misery p*rn, especially considering that the author's express desire was just to torture her main character to make the book "dark". I feel like this book can only be harmful. It's just entirely inconsiderate to those in the real world who have faced abuse, or have disabilities, or have struggled with self-harm.
I’m going to check out your video right after this. I really enjoyed the first half of the book but the back end of it was not as enjoyable. There’s a lot I’m still learning about the book itself and the author that makes wonder if the book is so popular because of the controversial elements within the pages. I went into it blind and while overall I did enjoy it I do understand your opinion and anyone else’s opinion about the book because it is 100% valid.
This is the first youtube criticism of this book ive seen that actually felt genuine and thoughtful rather than a moral panic about bad things in a book. I relate to you in this book finding you "at the right time" the same happened to me and it was spooky. Thank you
Love your vibe and how you discuss books. So chill and straightforward. Subscribed! And thank you for demonstrating Jude's "zombie walk"-I kept trying to imagine it in my head while reading the book and just couldn't picture it completely (or I imagine it too exaggerated). Also - I agree that kiss at the end was totally unnecessary! I wish the author had left it out. It did nothing at all for the story. I read an article that said Hanya Yanagihara told her editor, who wanted to cut down the book, to read it and find parts not necessary to the story; supposedly the editor read it and found NOTHING to remove. I'm like, REALLY?? There were at least 100 pages that could be removed without changing the story. The whole thing with Dr. Traylor was completely unnecessary, after everything Jude has already been through - it just seemed like sadism for the sake of it.
Thank you so much I’m glad you liked the video :) A Little Life is a book that I think has many problematic elements within it’s pages for sure. There definitely could’ve been sections of the novel that could’ve been taken out or shorten for sure. I went to a bookstore and saw some of her other works, I want to read them one day but I have a bunch of books now that I have to get through 😅.
Every time I hear someone say stuff like "how unrealistic that he went through so much abuse" and "just put him in the hospital" I can't help but think how privileged some people are. One bad situation after another describes my childhood to a tee. And the hospital is being treated like a threat because it is a threat. Most sick people know a psych hospital is not a safe place nor a place to recover. A lot of us have been abused in hospitals by patients and so-called professionals alike. And even if you're not abused, it's retraumatizing in and of itself to have all of your rights stripped from you. It demonstrates that you lack autonomy, that other people will take it away from you without your consent. I know you're trying to be fair in your critique but for some of us this book really is an accurate depiction of our lives.
Yess!! You said the most important thing! The lack of autonomy! People who have been abused sexually and also even in the mental hospital already have massive autonomy trauma. The threat of their autonomy being taken away again is very much a real thing. And people who are on the outside don’t necessarily see or fully understand that. To someone whose autonomy was repeatedly taken away from them and has now escaped that. They tend to put their right to have autonomy over anything else. Which is why when people around them are like “stop doing this to yourself” “get help” “you need help” “imma trick you into going to this hospital” it’s doing way more harm and damage than outsiders tend to think. Like yes I understand you want them to get better and stop self harming. And also you do realise you’re contributing to them not being able to have autonomy. Which is what that person values the most. The right to choose what happens to them and their body.
You are absolutely right; sadly, that is the truth for many people. I will be the first to say that I have no experience or complete knowledge when it comes to the subject. As a reader, I wanted more than anything for Jude to get the best and proper help for himself, I wanted him to find true joy. Comments like yours allow me and others who don't know better to educate ourselves.
@@Billie_Cook To get a better idea, think of people who perform forced psychiatric treatment like police officers. Many go in with good intentions, or at least firmly believe in their own benevolence, but the system that trains and funds them is inherently abusive and corrupt, and even the good ones get twisted in the process. Read "Mad in America" or look up "psychiatric survivor" for more info. Unfortunately, the people who have been most harmed by mental health professionals are generally unable to speak about it because they're permanently detained. Those who have been harmed but are still functional are told that they just had bad luck and they should keep reexposing themselves to that abuse until they recover, or even worse: told that the fact they're still alive and functioning is proof that what was done to them was the right thing.
Thank you for your comment. It's really insightful and gives people like me who have not experienced such trauma a better understanding of what it's like. I hope things have gotten better for you.
Yeah unfortunately that is the case, the main character doesn't take action almost never in the novel. The world moves around him as he stays still. That's probably the best way for me to fully describe it :'(
I’m glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching :) the book made me emotional talking about it 😅. I hope you enjoy the novel though it’s a tough read but it’s a phenomenal story.
Well, I’ve been through most of the things Jude went through and I don’t find the book harmful or absurd, it may be triggering for some people of course but I’ve never read a book so raw and true to what I lived and I hate when books or movies fluffy it out serious topics so the majority of people can swallow it and pretend this kind of tragic things don’t happen in real life. Not every story has a happy ending, not everyone has a happy life, and though I do have a good support system I became very good in hiding my suffering to avoid the help I didn’t think I deserved it In my opinion it is a valid book to reflect and empathize with other people stories.
I am finally ready to leave my thoughts: I actually liked the real mundane parts of the book that were “less interesting” because in those parts I felt at ease for the characters. Loved: The friendships and fights in those friendships, moments that showed reciprocated intimacy, career talk, family. Confused: JBs kiss with Jude also confused me and didn’t think it served a purpose in the story? Nothing came out of it after either. I will not be hearing you out about Jude’s and William’s relationship. I actually always got the vibe from early on in the book that they were going to have intimacy. I also think it’s okay if William saw a bit of Heming in Jude because you gravitate towards people who feel familiar and give you comfort. Jude: the frustration was so bad at points for me too. I would be screaming why why why!!!!!????? Andy frustrated me…. But in his defense everyone knows too but is so scared of Jude being a flight risk. Fav character: Harold. His parts of the book broke me the most. The promise just knife to the chest. My overall rating is 4.5/5
The mundane parts were some of the best parts of the novel, just a bunch of friends being friends and growing up together. In many ways, the book made me think of my friends and I and how things will remain the same or change as we get older. I will forever be unconfused about the JB kiss. I feel that if it had been established that Willem had romantic feelings for Jude earlier in the novel, their relationship would have felt a lot more natural. However, with the way that the author wrote Willems backstory with Hemming, it felt to me more like Willem felt romantically for Jude because he felt sorry for him. I found it a tad bit strange that they have been friends for years, and all of a sudden, when Willem is 40, he's like, "Wow, I like Jude". Andy is my favorite character in the novel, but I definitely understand the love for Harold; I wish that Malcolm got more development; I feel as though he could've been my favorite character in the book if his story was further explored.
The entire book to me just lacked depth. Sure, you can’t say it’s unrealistic, but if you’re trying to make it realistic than you have to have something to say about the issues at hand. It was just reading events occurring back to back to back, without any real nuance at all. The entire time I just got the vibe that the author didn’t even know what she was trying to say. I couldn’t feel the emotions because it felt like I was reading a timeline or something, like an ai generated story where someone good chat gpt: write me a tragic story. You can write a sad book, but it has to be sad for some reason. Otherwise it’s just as bland and boring as reading a book that’s all happy. Edit: obviously this is just my opinion and I respect anyone who enjoyed it. I’m sure there are people who can see value in this, I just personally can’t stand it.
Your opinion is valid and heard :) I also felt during some sections that it was unclear what I was suppose to get from the novel. I thought “A Little Life” was going to be the first book that would make me cry while reading but it wasn’t 😅. I am interested now though in reading other sad books to see how they compare.
“Idk why would you click a video about A Little Life if you didn’t read A Little Life” Me watching without reading it 😩😭 In my defense you popped up in my recommendations and stayed because of how chill you are 🫶 I don’t plan on reading this it for personal reasons.
😂😂😂 Thanks for watching, i totally get anyone who doesn’t plan on reading this book. I truly do appreciate you watching :) I can’t promise much but I can promise that I’ll keep it chill over here lol 😁👍🏾
Another thing that frustrates me about Andy is that he kept continuously blaming Jude’s friends for Jude’s worsening health and stating and threatening that they should have more responsibility over him meanwhile he’s the doctor who should of admitted him
100%, Andy just kept deflecting the blame to others instead doing what he knew should be done. I understand that he didn’t want to admit Jude but at what point do you do your job as a doctor!?!?
@ litterally at some point it just began to feel like a constant style of Andy complaining that Jude didn’t do what he wanted each week when he obviously wasn’t going to change
I read it first at 13 then recently re-read it at 17 and I feel like the first time I was sad after finsihing it and didn’t really have any criticisms but now I see a lot of stuff to critique in terms of the depiction of suffering
The way that the author depicts suffering as something that is never ending or something that you can never recover from was one of my biggest critiques. Even now I feel like my feelings for A Little Life are complicated.
i don't like when criticism about this book boil down to how much jude suffers "for no reason" and how unrealistic they find it that jude is abused for such a large part of his life. there are millions of people who have had similar life experiences to jude where they are abused from a young age and then become victims in several other relationships in their life. just because it is unrealistic to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen, and in real life there is no reason or higher purpose for being abused, you just are
i don't think he means Jude's suffering as "for no reason" or like overreacting but as a constant in his life, and every time where everything seems fine, it all wreckes all over again, and quoting what you just said, there are millions of people in that same scenario and the author just write it down. And as Jude, there are other million people who don't want help or "to be saved" but we need to stay strong for those who we love and help them anyway. It's not blaming the victim but if they do not do anything to save themselves, they're going to end up in those same patterns who hurts them, and is kinda like an unending cycle of pain.
@amsheredia18 I am very curious what help means in this scenario. Because it just sounds like you guys mean locking him up in hospital which is incredibly harmful and retraumatizing at best. If so, you really need to educate yourselves on the data and victim's stories.
@@americaherediaaand this is where it’s conflicting. Because I definitely agree and understand where yall are coming from on this. And also Jude never once asked for help.he never asked to be changed into this healed person who is strong. That was never his character’s purpose. His hopes of leading a normal life died the day father Luke took that away from him. Father Luke is responsible for conditioning Jude’s entire foundation of his outlook on not just life as a whole but himself too. And I think a lot of people who don’t necessarily know what abuse like that is like tend to overlook that critical information. It is extremely difficult to deconstruct your conditioning from someone like Father Luke. Jude was so incredibly young and impressionable and to be taken advantage of that so young and have so many things happen to you over and over again and being force fed this whole belief about why this is happening to you and that this is your purpose in life. You start to really believe it. And that’s why Jude was so resistant to talking about his life and why he believed he wasn’t worthy. And that’s why self harm to him was his saving grace. Because his whole entire life was controlled by other people, because his autonomy was always taken from him, because he was always forced to do things he never wanted to do, self harm was the only thing in his life he could control. He didn’t have any control of his health or how his body functioned, he had diseases he’s never asked to have as a result to his body being violated. And so self harm was the only thing in his life that made him feel in control of everything. And that’s why it was so hard for him to stop because his friends wanted him to. He’s like “no I don’t want to because this is the only thing I have”. And as someone who use to self harm I can relate to this.
@@Faethehippie15_ I completely understand, and sometimes I even think it’s kinda selfish to ask people who are in the same situation as Jude to just go to therapy, or ask for help and heal, because is extremely hard and requires a lot of effort and commitment, I know is selfish but at the same time, Jude do not wanted to be alone, but he just kept pushing away people who truly loved him and in a certain way, he hurt them too with his actions (when his family and friends saw him self harm himself for example). It is not that he did that TO them, but the fact that they wanted so badly to help him and he didn’t want that. He created this shield and even though he loved his family and friends, he was insecure all the time because of his traumas.
@@americaherediaa oh yeah Jude definitely didn’t want to be alone and also it’s conflicting because it goes back to how he was raised and lead to believe about himself. When that level of trauma is there, you can’t just pull yourself out of it and believe you’re deserving of your loved ones you met along the way ya know? And it goes back to wanting to have autonomy over yourself. That’s also what Jude wanted to. He wanted to do the very few things he had control over and everyone was threatening to take that choice away from him. Even though their intentions were genuine and out of love.
I read this recently because I love a real sad depressing book. I thought I was going to love it based on everyone constantly touting it as the saddest book of all time, but really I just ended up frustrated with it. I started out feeling really empathetic for Jude, but as time went on and we got to him being a grown 50 year old man still refusing to accept the help he knew he needed, I was losing my patience. How many times do we have to read through him apologizing to everyone without actually changing anything? Like, what is the point of the book then? We could’ve cut out 200 pages of his suffering and the ending would’ve been the exact same. My other bone to pick is how it’s described as a novel on male friendships. Malcolm literally felt like a background character whose only purpose in the story was to design Jude’s homes. I loved the chapter on JB’s addiction, but that’s all we really get from his story? The rest of his appearances are sporadic and don’t really add much. His character had so much potential to have a really interesting story line and yet it went nowhere? And that kiss at the end? Like I just don’t get it. Don’t get me started on all the descriptions of Willem’s film roles. YAWN. Definitely agree about Willem/Jude feeling off. Like, all of a sudden Willem is sexually attracted to Jude after being friends for years? Idk the story felt like there were so many interesting parts that could’ve been explored more instead of the same repetitive self loathing and apologizing. Give me more details on the monastery! Tell me more about the weird evil doctor! Explore JB’s addiction storyline in more depth!
It’s crazy how synch our thoughts and opinions are towards this book. The only thing I knew about it was that it was supposedly sad. I was so frustrated throughout many parts of the book. Malcom was a character I felt had so much more potential than what he got. There was so many potential avenues to explore with him especially with him trying to navigate life as someone who is biracial. J.Bs addiction chapter was one of my favorites if not my favorite, and THANK YOU for mentioning that kiss!!! Like we can’t just continue the story and ignore that. I’ve done some me reflecting about my opinions on the book and still feel that the Jude and Willems relationship is off.
Thanks for talking about this because I seriously needed therapy. I did love the first half and sadly I do think some of it is really realistic. Including the tragic parts. I made the mistake of finishing this book on a plane ride and had to try to hide my tears unsuccessfully. A little light would have been nice.
Thanks for watching :) I’m like just like you I really did enjoy the first half on the book a lot. I really really wanted “A Little Life” to be the first book I cried to reading, I was close but no tears 🥹. One day though it will happen I just have to find the right book 😤
I enjoyed this discussion about the novel. You grappled with your emotions quite eloquently, excited to watch more reviews! *Spoilers below!!* In terms of Jude's trauma, I thought it was a realistic representation for two reasons: 1. the fairytale-like nature of being saved and then something bad happening captures the way a child views the world - there is a sense of childlike naivety and hope that maybe how they are safe, only to be let down. It is a very brutal depiction of what, dreadfully, many many children experience every day. 2. I think the repetitive almost "mundane" nature of the trauma allows the reader to really feel what Jude experiences. When you are so deeply traumatised and abused, your whole worldview changes and you are unable to keep your head above water, even in situations where others might. The hopelessness and helplessness of this character and extreme pain he feels for so much of the book felt so poignant and realistic to me. Also the way people reacted when he tried to take his life and Andy failing him- that felt honest to me. For me, Caleb was the most unsettling part of the whole book. I still think about that scene and shudder. All of that said, I absolutely take great care when recommending this book to people - and I love it. It seems like a modern masterpiece (with many problems) so I always enjoy talking with others because it gives you so much to think about. Take care.
I truly loved what you had to say. Some people were surprised that I had “A Little Life” as my favorite book I read last year. The book has its problems buts it’s also really good. There’s so much nuanced discussion that can be held from the characters, the setting, and the ending of the book. It’s a novel that starts conversations and I absolutely love that.
It's so interesting how various the reactions of this book are!! I cried a lot in the *happy* scenes because those were so scarce and precious. When I finished the book, I was smiling, and relieved for the story could've been more brutal and ruthless to Jude but it actually wasn't. Jude's history is so unrealistic that it doesn't make sense, and so is the other bright part. He's a very lucky and beloved person, except for he's a victim of severe trauma. When ordinary people starts with 0 and makes +50 in their lives, Jude started from -100 and got +70. Jude ends up with -30, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any pluses in his life, or +70 wasn't enough to *fix* him. The ending was unevitable and we could all expect that. However, that doesn't mean Jude was weak and uncurable. He definitely showed some progress under other's love, though it might not match the *standard* or expectation of healthy people... What really matters (in my opinion) is the fraction of happiness and love, not 'what' happened and 'how' it ended. It's just a matter of how we see it.
Very very very well said, you are right Jude did start at -100. I think viewing Jude and the story itself this way sheds a more positive light on the progress that Jude made throughout the novel. You are right it might not match the societal expectations of a healthy person but even the smallest of steps are improvement
@Billie_Cook Yes, it really is. Also I think the whole point of this reading experience is to 'put myself in someone else's shoes.' No one can truly understand another person without going through the same struggles themselves. Tbh I was basically Caleb to my high school roommate, who was dealing with issues similar to Jude's. I was totally clueless about mental illness and had no idea she was secretly hurting herself for years, even though we shared a room for 2 years! I could only provide instant and shallow help(that doesn't work at all and even hurts her) like "Why don't you go outside and workout? It'll make you feel better"(just don't say this), "Just call me or wake me up whenever you want to hurt yourself." It wasn't until I hit my own depression a few years later that I realized what was actually happening to her. and how inconsiderate I was. Now, reading 'A Little Life' made me feel so ashamed and embarrassed for seeing myself through Caleb. Also, It’s given me a deeper insight into suicidal attempts(the mind process), the vulnerable state of mind that can be easily influenced by any subtle interactions and words, and what can fundamentally help those people. The gruesome and graphic scenes are designed to make us feel physically and mentally painful. It's a powerful second-hand experience to put yourself into Jude's shoes. It also makes us question, "To a person who has this amount of pain and shame in himself, what is needed?" We need to see the origin of self-hatred, the mechanism of his mind. Many characters in this novel loved him and cared for him, but no one could actually approach the core of his pain. Willem, he was close. The scene where Willem cuts himself in front of Jude was incredibly powerful. I could really feel the frustration of the healthy guy trying to 'understand' him(which fails), and the immaculate love to 'feel' him. I just wish I had read this book back in high school. If I had, I could have been more empathetic and caring, just like Willem, for my friend back then. I would say this is a great book at least for me, since I won't make the same mistake afterwards.
I really liked the first part, college and post-college... But then it goes downhill, the amount of horrible events that happen in Jude´s past is so forced that it became unintentionally funny (the psycho doctor was just hilariously cartoonish).
I totally agree with you the college and post college content was phenomenal, I absolutely loved it. I really wish that the book had more of that content for sure.
Interaction. :)) ♡ (Loved the review, as luckily was recommended and had interest picqued seconds in. ^^ Truth is I haven't touched upon EVEN after seeing/hearing discussions time once again and being curious for the longest time until now... Therefore am thankful for your thoughts that was EVER so interestingly enlightening). ⭐️
I think for the Andy part and helping/not helping Jude, firstly, I can imagine it being a very hard situation and honestly not being able to decide what is going to be helpful and what detrimental in the moment, secondly, i think the closer you are to a person i think the harder it gets to make that call even if you know it would be helpful while they are telling you that it's actually already getting better. It's been a while since I read the book so maybe my memory changed some parts and I'm completely off
Yeah, you're right; I imagine that it is very difficult being in a situation like that. For me, that situation was one of the toughest parts to get through. I fully am aware that I don't have experience in the matter, I just really really wanted Jude to get the proper and best help for himself :(
That’s how I felt during the beginning of the story it wasn’t till I got to the second party of the book “The Postman” that became really interested in the story.
DNF for me. I didn’t feel for the characters and just couldn’t keep going lol I looked up why and it’s cuz nothing happens! There’s no plot. It’s just about their lives. lol and that’s exactly what happens in the musical RENT- no plot, just life happening. I liked Rent tho lol
I have a superpower where I can read the first few pages of a book and understand if I'm going to hate it. This was one of those books. From the get go I didn't like the writing style and none of the characters seemed interesting enough for me to continue. So I dropped it before it got "sad" and I'm so glad I did, because I can just feel I'd have the same frustrations as everyone else who didn't like it.
This was really well done! I felt similarly. When it came to Caleb it was so bad it actually took me out of the book, like really? But people who experience abuse are more likely to experience it again and again.
@@Billie_Cook Yes I loved the story telling. But to be honest with you this is the very first time I'm going to give a book five stars that I won't recommend anyone to read. It was extremely heavy and I wish there was some type of ending that we all could love. Willem's death was the moment in the book I wanted to fight Hanya.
I almost needed a therapy after this book. Not all things r relatable, clearly, but on a human level we all can almost put ourselves in his (Jude’s) shoes and just… well it’s ruinous this book. And yes, u cannot tell, Read this book to people. I actually didn’t tell anyone I read this book. It was like a secret. Because i am ,probably, that person who should have not read this book. But i don’t regret. P.s. u mention all the right points - good and bad. I think the same.
To say that the book is a tough read is a understatement for sure. The days after I finished the book I was stuck on trying to sort my feelings out. I want to check out the authors other books but if they’re like “A Little Life” I think I’ll opt out 😅.
@@Billie_Cook I thought too, to check on more book of hers but… smth stops me. It’s like I’m already by nature a sad person and on top to read books which add to that. It’s not how I want my life to be, constantly feeling for the characters of the books. A little life is still giving me heartache when I think of it or out of the blue. “Sorting out the emotions” it’s exactly what it took. My summer was ruined as well, literally. What did u read after Little Life?? Just curious , I took A Little Friend by Donna Tart … I loved that book. I felt like I needed smth intense but not too emotionally challenging.
@@olgaotherstories8355 I read “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” I wish I could say I enjoyed reading the book but I was so bored reading it 😅. The book was a story about a bunch of nothing 🙃. I’ve never heard of “The Little Friend” before but the cover looks cool. 🤩
@@Billie_Cook “A Bunch of Nothing” sounds like a good title for anything I’m writing!! Thanks for an idea😅Never heard of this book, is it Japanese? I love Japanese writers, they r profound and weird, the best one for me Osama Dozai “No longer Human” have u heard? Another level of “traumatic experience” I like it , because that’s the high I get from literature. P.s.It’s like what 5am in US?
just finished it. i loved how much invested i was reading it, but oh boy was it frustrating…jude never getting help on time…fuck loved your review, couldn’t agree more on people seeing to be weirdly okay with what jude was doing…
There was so many times I was like “is someone going to help him orrrr what”. I wax super invested, I really wanted there to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Jude and everyone else 🥺.
I would say read this book when you’re somewhat mentally stable or at least emotionally stable. Or if it gets too much it’s okay to take breaks in between. It took me 6 months to finish the book myself.
Yeah i enjoyed “A Little Life” but definitely can’t recommend it 😅 the next book i make a video on I although I’m not finished with it yet I think I can recommend it to everyone. Thanks for subscribing, I appreciate it :)
I had to keep reminding myself that its not real its not real ..I finished it yesterday and there hasn't been a moment when I thought about the character and didn't tear up
I could not finish this book. The trauma Jude went through was just too much. I really applaud people who can get through it and critically review it. I don’t think I will ever finish it even what I read was still excellent.
This was definitely the toughest book that I have ever read, and I didn't know what it was about going into it. There were multiple times that I had to put the book down, I don't blame anyone for not finishing it or not wanting to read it. I wish I was better at reviewing I feel like I missed a lot of important points and may have not fully articulated my thoughts the way I wanted them to be conveyed.
@@Billie_Cook I fell into that too. That’s why when I talk about it I always start by saying “this isn’t a book I think everyone can or should read, but if you can handle it, here’s what I liked/disliked” a very long intro but necessary 😂
Hi Billie, big fan of A Little Life here. I have spent a great deal of time, more than I'd like to admit, defending Yanagihara's choice on the plot, the length, and almost every possible misgivings people have about ALL. It's 2024 the year of the Lord, and I have resigned myself to the fact that we won't always see it the same way. Your review of the book is, however, more open and nuanced than most people's, and I feel almost tempted to dip my toes into the old habit of presenting counterpoints to what you highlighted as flaws in the book. Overall, you seem to like the book, and that makes you a kindred spirit. Perhaps, sometime in the future, there will be a time to get into why ALL is a fabulous five-star book, but in the meantime, your fresh perspective deserves a subscription, and I look forward to what book you review next.
Yeah, I would love to hear your thoughts actually :) I enjoyed A Little Life a lot. In terms of being a reviewer, I think I'm kind of bad at it, tbh, but I'm very happy you liked what I had to say. Thank you for the comment it means a lot.
I thought this video is just going to be full on hating the book, but it is not. I love this book with all my heart, but I have to say it is a flawed book, there are also some things that I don't agree on what the author wrote. Thank you for doing this video
“A Little Life” was a novel that was very different from the usual books I read but yeah I enjoyed and like the book :) The book felt so real in many ways. Thanks for the kind words, I truly do appreciate it.
The reason why no one really helps Jude or the therapy that he partly gets is useless is cause the author does not believe in therapy.
I also had the same issues as you, the trauma Jude was experiencing felt very repetitive. I also once read an interview where Yanigahara talks about how she was inspired by a set of photographs where the pictures start with a light one and it gets darker progressively and I think this might explain the way she wrote Jude’s story (and everyone else’s)
Not believing in therapy is well…different to say the least. Jude’s trauma felt very excessive in the novel. The photographs you mentioned very much sound like an inspiration for Jude’s story. Yanigahara wanted to write her novel this way and I get it. I just wish Jude got the proper help he so desperately needed 😞.
It felt not only that it was excessive, but manipulative, as in I could see the author going "feel bad for him, look poor poor guy let him die." I stopped reading where he's kidnapped and healed by some crazed 'doctor'. I had enough at that point but I've been told what happens after and I'm glad I didn't waste any time on it. Sorry for the rant, I'm honestly just leaving a comment to boost Billie's channel
@@SpacemanTheo yeah I definitely agree with your point. It really just feels like this book exists just for the sake of making one feel miserable and i understand why you dnf'd it. i actually would never recommend this book because i find it very harmful to people that are mentally unstable since it has this quite pessimistic and hopeless view on life and mental health
@@noone-wq4fm it's definitely mishandled. I could argue that the author is trying frame a 'should we not treat mental illness the same way as a terminal illness?', but since she did no research into the subject to any capacity that lens just shatters. And if the question falls flat, what about the characters? I find that they too, fall flat due them feeling like mouth pieces for the author. Maybe I'm just jaded from being 'the gay friend' but this book really feels like the Jude is being worn as a status symbol of tragedy, not an actual character. This book had a lot of potential, it's all gone to waste and leaves only a manufactured sour taste.
@@SpacemanTheo Really interesting take. I actually found the characters very round (except for Malcolm because he was just the indecisive one or at least that's what I remember about him) and that was one of the very few things i liked about this book but in that sense, I can see why they feel flat. The sour taste for me also stems from the, what i feel like, is the wrong intention of the author, as mentioned above, she uses this to show that therapy doesn't help. And also, when I read the book and people were trying to figure out Jude's sexuality and someone asks him something like are you gay or are you into men. And he answers with something like 'it's too late for me.' as if the 'gayness' had been implemented on him and that made me a tad uncomfortable because why ?? I understand that he was forced into this and maybe he didn't have all that much motivation to think about his attraction but him being like it's too late for me ... That really leaves a sour taste.
I am glad you liked the book. We all have had toxic friends in our lives that hurt us. The best thing to do is remove yourself from that friendship.
Yeah the book definitely hit home at certain parts. I feel like I read it at the right time in my life for sure.
Thank you for this thoughtful video, it's one of the better ones I've seen about this book. I highly recommend this video on youtube called "Euthanasia Fan Fiction" by Owl Criticism. It's long, but the guy uses the book and interviews with Yanagihara to make the case that the book is genuinely harmful, and is trying to convince people with trauma to end their lives rather than trying to heal. Given the way you expressed your thoughts, I think you'd appreciate that one also.
I haven’t watched Owl Criticisms video but it has popped up on my home page, I’ll check it out 👍🏾. I feel like I’m constantly learning more and more about Yanagihara, I definitely check out Owl’s video.
Put this book down at 370 pages in. I've uploaded my own review/rant about the book on my channel. Just reading what I read of the book was agony. Can't imagine going all the way through. I can't help but view the book as misery p*rn, especially considering that the author's express desire was just to torture her main character to make the book "dark". I feel like this book can only be harmful. It's just entirely inconsiderate to those in the real world who have faced abuse, or have disabilities, or have struggled with self-harm.
I’m going to check out your video right after this. I really enjoyed the first half of the book but the back end of it was not as enjoyable. There’s a lot I’m still learning about the book itself and the author that makes wonder if the book is so popular because of the controversial elements within the pages. I went into it blind and while overall I did enjoy it I do understand your opinion and anyone else’s opinion about the book because it is 100% valid.
This is the first youtube criticism of this book ive seen that actually felt genuine and thoughtful rather than a moral panic about bad things in a book. I relate to you in this book finding you "at the right time" the same happened to me and it was spooky. Thank you
Thanks for the kind words
Love your vibe and how you discuss books. So chill and straightforward. Subscribed! And thank you for demonstrating Jude's "zombie walk"-I kept trying to imagine it in my head while reading the book and just couldn't picture it completely (or I imagine it too exaggerated). Also - I agree that kiss at the end was totally unnecessary! I wish the author had left it out. It did nothing at all for the story. I read an article that said Hanya Yanagihara told her editor, who wanted to cut down the book, to read it and find parts not necessary to the story; supposedly the editor read it and found NOTHING to remove. I'm like, REALLY?? There were at least 100 pages that could be removed without changing the story. The whole thing with Dr. Traylor was completely unnecessary, after everything Jude has already been through - it just seemed like sadism for the sake of it.
Thank you so much I’m glad you liked the video :) A Little Life is a book that I think has many problematic elements within it’s pages for sure. There definitely could’ve been sections of the novel that could’ve been taken out or shorten for sure. I went to a bookstore and saw some of her other works, I want to read them one day but I have a bunch of books now that I have to get through 😅.
Every time I hear someone say stuff like "how unrealistic that he went through so much abuse" and "just put him in the hospital" I can't help but think how privileged some people are. One bad situation after another describes my childhood to a tee.
And the hospital is being treated like a threat because it is a threat. Most sick people know a psych hospital is not a safe place nor a place to recover. A lot of us have been abused in hospitals by patients and so-called professionals alike. And even if you're not abused, it's retraumatizing in and of itself to have all of your rights stripped from you. It demonstrates that you lack autonomy, that other people will take it away from you without your consent.
I know you're trying to be fair in your critique but for some of us this book really is an accurate depiction of our lives.
Yess!! You said the most important thing! The lack of autonomy! People who have been abused sexually and also even in the mental hospital already have massive autonomy trauma. The threat of their autonomy being taken away again is very much a real thing. And people who are on the outside don’t necessarily see or fully understand that. To someone whose autonomy was repeatedly taken away from them and has now escaped that. They tend to put their right to have autonomy over anything else. Which is why when people around them are like “stop doing this to yourself” “get help” “you need help” “imma trick you into going to this hospital” it’s doing way more harm and damage than outsiders tend to think. Like yes I understand you want them to get better and stop self harming. And also you do realise you’re contributing to them not being able to have autonomy. Which is what that person values the most. The right to choose what happens to them and their body.
You are absolutely right; sadly, that is the truth for many people. I will be the first to say that I have no experience or complete knowledge when it comes to the subject. As a reader, I wanted more than anything for Jude to get the best and proper help for himself, I wanted him to find true joy. Comments like yours allow me and others who don't know better to educate ourselves.
@@Billie_Cook To get a better idea, think of people who perform forced psychiatric treatment like police officers. Many go in with good intentions, or at least firmly believe in their own benevolence, but the system that trains and funds them is inherently abusive and corrupt, and even the good ones get twisted in the process. Read "Mad in America" or look up "psychiatric survivor" for more info.
Unfortunately, the people who have been most harmed by mental health professionals are generally unable to speak about it because they're permanently detained. Those who have been harmed but are still functional are told that they just had bad luck and they should keep reexposing themselves to that abuse until they recover, or even worse: told that the fact they're still alive and functioning is proof that what was done to them was the right thing.
Thank you for your comment. It's really insightful and gives people like me who have not experienced such trauma a better understanding of what it's like. I hope things have gotten better for you.
I think I really need a wider discussion of the entire book. Mainly because there are several other situations that sound very... forced?
Yeah unfortunately that is the case, the main character doesn't take action almost never in the novel. The world moves around him as he stays still. That's probably the best way for me to fully describe it :'(
Thank you for doing such a heartfelt review on this book, it’s well deserved and your voice almost made me cry at work. I will be reading this book!
I’m glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching :) the book made me emotional talking about it 😅. I hope you enjoy the novel though it’s a tough read but it’s a phenomenal story.
The problem for me wasn’t necessarily the abuse that Jude encountered but the very superficial friendship of the characters.
Well, I’ve been through most of the things Jude went through and I don’t find the book harmful or absurd, it may be triggering for some people of course but I’ve never read a book so raw and true to what I lived and I hate when books or movies fluffy it out serious topics so the majority of people can swallow it and pretend this kind of tragic things don’t happen in real life.
Not every story has a happy ending, not everyone has a happy life, and though I do have a good support system I became very good in hiding my suffering to avoid the help I didn’t think I deserved it
In my opinion it is a valid book to reflect and empathize with other people stories.
I am finally ready to leave my thoughts:
I actually liked the real mundane parts of the book that were “less interesting” because in those parts I felt at ease for the characters.
Loved: The friendships and fights in those friendships, moments that showed reciprocated intimacy, career talk, family.
Confused: JBs kiss with Jude also confused me and didn’t think it served a purpose in the story? Nothing came out of it after either.
I will not be hearing you out about Jude’s and William’s relationship. I actually always got the vibe from early on in the book that they were going to have intimacy. I also think it’s okay if William saw a bit of Heming in Jude because you gravitate towards people who feel familiar and give you comfort.
Jude: the frustration was so bad at points for me too. I would be screaming why why why!!!!!?????
Andy frustrated me…. But in his defense everyone knows too but is so scared of Jude being a flight risk.
Fav character: Harold. His parts of the book broke me the most. The promise just knife to the chest.
My overall rating is 4.5/5
The mundane parts were some of the best parts of the novel, just a bunch of friends being friends and growing up together. In many ways, the book made me think of my friends and I and how things will remain the same or change as we get older.
I will forever be unconfused about the JB kiss. I feel that if it had been established that Willem had romantic feelings for Jude earlier in the novel, their relationship would have felt a lot more natural. However, with the way that the author wrote Willems backstory with Hemming, it felt to me more like Willem felt romantically for Jude because he felt sorry for him. I found it a tad bit strange that they have been friends for years, and all of a sudden, when Willem is 40, he's like, "Wow, I like Jude".
Andy is my favorite character in the novel, but I definitely understand the love for Harold; I wish that Malcolm got more development; I feel as though he could've been my favorite character in the book if his story was further explored.
Wonderful video. I love how nuanced your analysis is and you bring up several points I rarely see mentioned in reviews of this book. Great work.
Thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed the video and my analysis I appreciate it 🥹
The entire book to me just lacked depth. Sure, you can’t say it’s unrealistic, but if you’re trying to make it realistic than you have to have something to say about the issues at hand.
It was just reading events occurring back to back to back, without any real nuance at all. The entire time I just got the vibe that the author didn’t even know what she was trying to say. I couldn’t feel the emotions because it felt like I was reading a timeline or something, like an ai generated story where someone good chat gpt: write me a tragic story.
You can write a sad book, but it has to be sad for some reason. Otherwise it’s just as bland and boring as reading a book that’s all happy.
Edit: obviously this is just my opinion and I respect anyone who enjoyed it. I’m sure there are people who can see value in this, I just personally can’t stand it.
Your opinion is valid and heard :) I also felt during some sections that it was unclear what I was suppose to get from the novel. I thought “A Little Life” was going to be the first book that would make me cry while reading but it wasn’t 😅. I am interested now though in reading other sad books to see how they compare.
“Idk why would you click a video about A Little Life if you didn’t read A Little Life”
Me watching without reading it 😩😭
In my defense you popped up in my recommendations and stayed because of how chill you are 🫶 I don’t plan on reading this it for personal reasons.
😂😂😂 Thanks for watching, i totally get anyone who doesn’t plan on reading this book. I truly do appreciate you watching :) I can’t promise much but I can promise that I’ll keep it chill over here lol 😁👍🏾
Another thing that frustrates me about Andy is that he kept continuously blaming Jude’s friends for Jude’s worsening health and stating and threatening that they should have more responsibility over him meanwhile he’s the doctor who should of admitted him
100%, Andy just kept deflecting the blame to others instead doing what he knew should be done. I understand that he didn’t want to admit Jude but at what point do you do your job as a doctor!?!?
@ litterally at some point it just began to feel like a constant style of Andy complaining that Jude didn’t do what he wanted each week when he obviously wasn’t going to change
monotonous is the word you were searching for earlier,
I read it first at 13 then recently re-read it at 17 and I feel like the first time I was sad after finsihing it and didn’t really have any criticisms but now I see a lot of stuff to critique in terms of the depiction of suffering
The way that the author depicts suffering as something that is never ending or something that you can never recover from was one of my biggest critiques. Even now I feel like my feelings for A Little Life are complicated.
i don't like when criticism about this book boil down to how much jude suffers "for no reason" and how unrealistic they find it that jude is abused for such a large part of his life. there are millions of people who have had similar life experiences to jude where they are abused from a young age and then become victims in several other relationships in their life. just because it is unrealistic to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen, and in real life there is no reason or higher purpose for being abused, you just are
i don't think he means Jude's suffering as "for no reason" or like overreacting but as a constant in his life, and every time where everything seems fine, it all wreckes all over again, and quoting what you just said, there are millions of people in that same scenario and the author just write it down. And as Jude, there are other million people who don't want help or "to be saved" but we need to stay strong for those who we love and help them anyway. It's not blaming the victim but if they do not do anything to save themselves, they're going to end up in those same patterns who hurts them, and is kinda like an unending cycle of pain.
@amsheredia18 I am very curious what help means in this scenario. Because it just sounds like you guys mean locking him up in hospital which is incredibly harmful and retraumatizing at best. If so, you really need to educate yourselves on the data and victim's stories.
@@americaherediaaand this is where it’s conflicting. Because I definitely agree and understand where yall are coming from on this. And also Jude never once asked for help.he never asked to be changed into this healed person who is strong. That was never his character’s purpose. His hopes of leading a normal life died the day father Luke took that away from him. Father Luke is responsible for conditioning Jude’s entire foundation of his outlook on not just life as a whole but himself too. And I think a lot of people who don’t necessarily know what abuse like that is like tend to overlook that critical information. It is extremely difficult to deconstruct your conditioning from someone like Father Luke. Jude was so incredibly young and impressionable and to be taken advantage of that so young and have so many things happen to you over and over again and being force fed this whole belief about why this is happening to you and that this is your purpose in life. You start to really believe it. And that’s why Jude was so resistant to talking about his life and why he believed he wasn’t worthy. And that’s why self harm to him was his saving grace. Because his whole entire life was controlled by other people, because his autonomy was always taken from him, because he was always forced to do things he never wanted to do, self harm was the only thing in his life he could control. He didn’t have any control of his health or how his body functioned, he had diseases he’s never asked to have as a result to his body being violated. And so self harm was the only thing in his life that made him feel in control of everything. And that’s why it was so hard for him to stop because his friends wanted him to. He’s like “no I don’t want to because this is the only thing I have”. And as someone who use to self harm I can relate to this.
@@Faethehippie15_ I completely understand, and sometimes I even think it’s kinda selfish to ask people who are in the same situation as Jude to just go to therapy, or ask for help and heal, because is extremely hard and requires a lot of effort and commitment, I know is selfish but at the same time, Jude do not wanted to be alone, but he just kept pushing away people who truly loved him and in a certain way, he hurt them too with his actions (when his family and friends saw him self harm himself for example). It is not that he did that TO them, but the fact that they wanted so badly to help him and he didn’t want that. He created this shield and even though he loved his family and friends, he was insecure all the time because of his traumas.
@@americaherediaa oh yeah Jude definitely didn’t want to be alone and also it’s conflicting because it goes back to how he was raised and lead to believe about himself. When that level of trauma is there, you can’t just pull yourself out of it and believe you’re deserving of your loved ones you met along the way ya know? And it goes back to wanting to have autonomy over yourself. That’s also what Jude wanted to. He wanted to do the very few things he had control over and everyone was threatening to take that choice away from him. Even though their intentions were genuine and out of love.
I read this recently because I love a real sad depressing book. I thought I was going to love it based on everyone constantly touting it as the saddest book of all time, but really I just ended up frustrated with it. I started out feeling really empathetic for Jude, but as time went on and we got to him being a grown 50 year old man still refusing to accept the help he knew he needed, I was losing my patience. How many times do we have to read through him apologizing to everyone without actually changing anything? Like, what is the point of the book then? We could’ve cut out 200 pages of his suffering and the ending would’ve been the exact same.
My other bone to pick is how it’s described as a novel on male friendships. Malcolm literally felt like a background character whose only purpose in the story was to design Jude’s homes. I loved the chapter on JB’s addiction, but that’s all we really get from his story? The rest of his appearances are sporadic and don’t really add much. His character had so much potential to have a really interesting story line and yet it went nowhere? And that kiss at the end? Like I just don’t get it. Don’t get me started on all the descriptions of Willem’s film roles. YAWN.
Definitely agree about Willem/Jude feeling off. Like, all of a sudden Willem is sexually attracted to Jude after being friends for years? Idk the story felt like there were so many interesting parts that could’ve been explored more instead of the same repetitive self loathing and apologizing. Give me more details on the monastery! Tell me more about the weird evil doctor! Explore JB’s addiction storyline in more depth!
It’s crazy how synch our thoughts and opinions are towards this book. The only thing I knew about it was that it was supposedly sad. I was so frustrated throughout many parts of the book. Malcom was a character I felt had so much more potential than what he got. There was so many potential avenues to explore with him especially with him trying to navigate life as someone who is biracial. J.Bs addiction chapter was one of my favorites if not my favorite, and THANK YOU for mentioning that kiss!!! Like we can’t just continue the story and ignore that. I’ve done some me reflecting about my opinions on the book and still feel that the Jude and Willems relationship is off.
Thanks for talking about this because I seriously needed therapy. I did love the first half and sadly I do think some of it is really realistic. Including the tragic parts. I made the mistake of finishing this book on a plane ride and had to try to hide my tears unsuccessfully. A little light would have been nice.
Thanks for watching :) I’m like just like you I really did enjoy the first half on the book a lot. I really really wanted “A Little Life” to be the first book I cried to reading, I was close but no tears 🥹. One day though it will happen I just have to find the right book 😤
I enjoyed this discussion about the novel. You grappled with your emotions quite eloquently, excited to watch more reviews!
*Spoilers below!!*
In terms of Jude's trauma, I thought it was a realistic representation for two reasons: 1. the fairytale-like nature of being saved and then something bad happening captures the way a child views the world - there is a sense of childlike naivety and hope that maybe how they are safe, only to be let down. It is a very brutal depiction of what, dreadfully, many many children experience every day. 2. I think the repetitive almost "mundane" nature of the trauma allows the reader to really feel what Jude experiences. When you are so deeply traumatised and abused, your whole worldview changes and you are unable to keep your head above water, even in situations where others might. The hopelessness and helplessness of this character and extreme pain he feels for so much of the book felt so poignant and realistic to me. Also the way people reacted when he tried to take his life and Andy failing him- that felt honest to me. For me, Caleb was the most unsettling part of the whole book. I still think about that scene and shudder.
All of that said, I absolutely take great care when recommending this book to people - and I love it. It seems like a modern masterpiece (with many problems) so I always enjoy talking with others because it gives you so much to think about. Take care.
I truly loved what you had to say. Some people were surprised that I had “A Little Life” as my favorite book I read last year. The book has its problems buts it’s also really good. There’s so much nuanced discussion that can be held from the characters, the setting, and the ending of the book. It’s a novel that starts conversations and I absolutely love that.
It's so interesting how various the reactions of this book are!! I cried a lot in the *happy* scenes because those were so scarce and precious. When I finished the book, I was smiling, and relieved for the story could've been more brutal and ruthless to Jude but it actually wasn't. Jude's history is so unrealistic that it doesn't make sense, and so is the other bright part. He's a very lucky and beloved person, except for he's a victim of severe trauma.
When ordinary people starts with 0 and makes +50 in their lives, Jude started from -100 and got +70. Jude ends up with -30, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any pluses in his life, or +70 wasn't enough to *fix* him.
The ending was unevitable and we could all expect that. However, that doesn't mean Jude was weak and uncurable. He definitely showed some progress under other's love, though it might not match the *standard* or expectation of healthy people... What really matters (in my opinion) is the fraction of happiness and love, not 'what' happened and 'how' it ended. It's just a matter of how we see it.
Very very very well said, you are right Jude did start at -100. I think viewing Jude and the story itself this way sheds a more positive light on the progress that Jude made throughout the novel. You are right it might not match the societal expectations of a healthy person but even the smallest of steps are improvement
@Billie_Cook Yes, it really is. Also I think the whole point of this reading experience is to 'put myself in someone else's shoes.' No one can truly understand another person without going through the same struggles themselves.
Tbh I was basically Caleb to my high school roommate, who was dealing with issues similar to Jude's. I was totally clueless about mental illness and had no idea she was secretly hurting herself for years, even though we shared a room for 2 years! I could only provide instant and shallow help(that doesn't work at all and even hurts her) like "Why don't you go outside and workout? It'll make you feel better"(just don't say this), "Just call me or wake me up whenever you want to hurt yourself." It wasn't until I hit my own depression a few years later that I realized what was actually happening to her. and how inconsiderate I was. Now, reading 'A Little Life' made me feel so ashamed and embarrassed for seeing myself through Caleb. Also, It’s given me a deeper insight into suicidal attempts(the mind process), the vulnerable state of mind that can be easily influenced by any subtle interactions and words, and what can fundamentally help those people.
The gruesome and graphic scenes are designed to make us feel physically and mentally painful. It's a powerful second-hand experience to put yourself into Jude's shoes. It also makes us question, "To a person who has this amount of pain and shame in himself, what is needed?" We need to see the origin of self-hatred, the mechanism of his mind. Many characters in this novel loved him and cared for him, but no one could actually approach the core of his pain. Willem, he was close. The scene where Willem cuts himself in front of Jude was incredibly powerful. I could really feel the frustration of the healthy guy trying to 'understand' him(which fails), and the immaculate love to 'feel' him.
I just wish I had read this book back in high school. If I had, I could have been more empathetic and caring, just like Willem, for my friend back then. I would say this is a great book at least for me, since I won't make the same mistake afterwards.
I really liked the first part, college and post-college... But then it goes downhill, the amount of horrible events that happen in Jude´s past is so forced that it became unintentionally funny (the psycho doctor was just hilariously cartoonish).
I totally agree with you the college and post college content was phenomenal, I absolutely loved it. I really wish that the book had more of that content for sure.
Interaction. :)) ♡
(Loved the review, as luckily was recommended and had interest picqued seconds in. ^^
Truth is I haven't touched upon EVEN after seeing/hearing discussions time once again and being curious for the longest time until now... Therefore am thankful for your thoughts that was EVER so interestingly enlightening). ⭐️
Thanks so much for watching and your kind words, I really do appreciate them :)
I think for the Andy part and helping/not helping Jude, firstly, I can imagine it being a very hard situation and honestly not being able to decide what is going to be helpful and what detrimental in the moment, secondly, i think the closer you are to a person i think the harder it gets to make that call even if you know it would be helpful while they are telling you that it's actually already getting better. It's been a while since I read the book so maybe my memory changed some parts and I'm completely off
Yeah, you're right; I imagine that it is very difficult being in a situation like that. For me, that situation was one of the toughest parts to get through. I fully am aware that I don't have experience in the matter, I just really really wanted Jude to get the proper and best help for himself :(
I couldn’t finish it I was just bored the whole time….
That’s how I felt during the beginning of the story it wasn’t till I got to the second party of the book “The Postman” that became really interested in the story.
@@Billie_Cook maybe I’ll start there and give it a second try. Thank you
I would say if it helps, read and listen to the audiobook on 1.5 speed at the same time to see if that helps!
DNF for me. I didn’t feel for the characters and just couldn’t keep going lol I looked up why and it’s cuz nothing happens! There’s no plot. It’s just about their lives. lol and that’s exactly what happens in the musical RENT- no plot, just life happening. I liked Rent tho lol
I have a superpower where I can read the first few pages of a book and understand if I'm going to hate it. This was one of those books.
From the get go I didn't like the writing style and none of the characters seemed interesting enough for me to continue. So I dropped it before it got "sad" and I'm so glad I did, because I can just feel I'd have the same frustrations as everyone else who didn't like it.
I wish you could share your superpower with me, that way I don't have to read any bad books ever again lol
This was really well done! I felt similarly. When it came to Caleb it was so bad it actually took me out of the book, like really? But people who experience abuse are more likely to experience it again and again.
Thanks for the kind words 🥹. The Caleb section was super frustrating, I wish I could have been there for Jude.
I just got done with the book yesterday. This is a great review and I agree with EVERYTHING you said!!!!
Thanks a lot, did you like the book?
@@Billie_Cook Yes I loved the story telling. But to be honest with you this is the very first time I'm going to give a book five stars that I won't recommend anyone to read. It was extremely heavy and I wish there was some type of ending that we all could love. Willem's death was the moment in the book I wanted to fight Hanya.
Thank you for this review!!! Definitely convinced me to read it
No prob :) thanks for watching. I hope that you enjoy reading "A Little Life" like I did.
Even the death of the main character was painfull and crude
A very tragic ending
I loved this book but oh man, did it wreck me. Triggering yes, but it will raise your consciousness in a major way.
I 100% agree with you, I very much did enjoy the book and feel like after finishing it have a new prescriptive.
I almost needed a therapy after this book. Not all things r relatable, clearly, but on a human level we all can almost put ourselves in his (Jude’s) shoes and just… well it’s ruinous this book. And yes, u cannot tell, Read this book to people. I actually didn’t tell anyone I read this book. It was like a secret. Because i am ,probably, that person who should have not read this book. But i don’t regret. P.s. u mention all the right points - good and bad. I think the same.
To say that the book is a tough read is a understatement for sure. The days after I finished the book I was stuck on trying to sort my feelings out. I want to check out the authors other books but if they’re like “A Little Life” I think I’ll opt out 😅.
@@Billie_Cook I thought too, to check on more book of hers but… smth stops me. It’s like I’m already by nature a sad person and on top to read books which add to that. It’s not how I want my life to be, constantly feeling for the characters of the books. A little life is still giving me heartache when I think of it or out of the blue. “Sorting out the emotions” it’s exactly what it took. My summer was ruined as well, literally. What did u read after Little Life?? Just curious , I took A Little Friend by Donna Tart … I loved that book. I felt like I needed smth intense but not too emotionally challenging.
@@olgaotherstories8355 I read “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” I wish I could say I enjoyed reading the book but I was so bored reading it 😅. The book was a story about a bunch of nothing 🙃. I’ve never heard of “The Little Friend” before but the cover looks cool. 🤩
@@Billie_Cook “A Bunch of Nothing” sounds like a good title for anything I’m writing!! Thanks for an idea😅Never heard of this book, is it Japanese? I love Japanese writers, they r profound and weird, the best one for me Osama Dozai “No longer Human” have u heard? Another level of “traumatic experience” I like it , because that’s the high I get from literature. P.s.It’s like what 5am in US?
just finished it. i loved how much invested i was reading it, but oh boy was it frustrating…jude never getting help on time…fuck
loved your review, couldn’t agree more on people seeing to be weirdly okay with what jude was doing…
There was so many times I was like “is someone going to help him orrrr what”. I wax super invested, I really wanted there to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Jude and everyone else 🥺.
I avoided it as trauma porn with zero regrets based on the many reviews :)
I wish someone described the book to me in that way. I was just told it was sad 🙃.
I want to read this but I think I’ll sample it first. There are too many mixed reviews on it.
Yeah I recommend that for sure, I say overall it’s a good but definitely not for everyone.
I would say read this book when you’re somewhat mentally stable or at least emotionally stable. Or if it gets too much it’s okay to take breaks in between. It took me 6 months to finish the book myself.
I love finding new booktubers! Based on your review, A Little Life sounds like it would just make me mad, so prob gonna skip this one 😅. Subbed!
Yeah i enjoyed “A Little Life” but definitely can’t recommend it 😅 the next book i make a video on I although I’m not finished with it yet I think I can recommend it to everyone. Thanks for subscribing, I appreciate it :)
@@Billie_Cook Can't wait to watch!
I wish I could comment beyond saying I enjoyed this review but I can't because I have not read the book yet. Now it's on my list, so thanks.
This comment is more than enough :) I hope that you enjoy the book. I can't recommend it to everyone, but I enjoyed it as a read.
I had to keep reminding myself that its not real its not real ..I finished it yesterday and there hasn't been a moment when I thought about the character and didn't tear up
Yeah I know how you feel. I keep thinking of Jude for days, wishing I could’ve helped or done something. 🥺
@@Billie_Cook 🥺🥺
I could not finish this book. The trauma Jude went through was just too much. I really applaud people who can get through it and critically review it. I don’t think I will ever finish it even what I read was still excellent.
This was definitely the toughest book that I have ever read, and I didn't know what it was about going into it. There were multiple times that I had to put the book down, I don't blame anyone for not finishing it or not wanting to read it. I wish I was better at reviewing I feel like I missed a lot of important points and may have not fully articulated my thoughts the way I wanted them to be conveyed.
Reading this during summer is crazy 😂. Though, to be fair, there’s no right time to read this book.
You’re so right tho!!!, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, I just heard everyone online talking about “A Little Life” 😂
@@Billie_Cook I fell into that too. That’s why when I talk about it I always start by saying “this isn’t a book I think everyone can or should read, but if you can handle it, here’s what I liked/disliked” a very long intro but necessary 😂
Hi Billie, big fan of A Little Life here. I have spent a great deal of time, more than I'd like to admit, defending Yanagihara's choice on the plot, the length, and almost every possible misgivings people have about ALL. It's 2024 the year of the Lord, and I have resigned myself to the fact that we won't always see it the same way. Your review of the book is, however, more open and nuanced than most people's, and I feel almost tempted to dip my toes into the old habit of presenting counterpoints to what you highlighted as flaws in the book. Overall, you seem to like the book, and that makes you a kindred spirit. Perhaps, sometime in the future, there will be a time to get into why ALL is a fabulous five-star book, but in the meantime, your fresh perspective deserves a subscription, and I look forward to what book you review next.
Yeah, I would love to hear your thoughts actually :) I enjoyed A Little Life a lot. In terms of being a reviewer, I think I'm kind of bad at it, tbh, but I'm very happy you liked what I had to say. Thank you for the comment it means a lot.
Loved this book.
I enjoyed the book overall, definitely one the better books I’ve read this year, even if I have some gripes with it 😁.
In my opinion, To Paradise is Hanya's most entertaining book. It's sort of an alternate history/sci-fi novel.
I'll have to check it out sounds kind of similar to R.F Kuang's novel Babel
It's garbage. Every single time I pass it by at the bookstore, I feel like spitting on it.
I completely understand why you feel this way
God I hate that book. Enraging.
I 100% understand your feelings, and they are justified.
Same! Absolutely despise it.
amazing book
100% agree 😁
dude, lose the background music. had to stop a 1 minute in
Thanks for making it a minute in ☺️
the background music isn't even that apparent.
@@bluebestfriend it is. you dont need it, brah... why do you even bother with it? annoying
Lmao it’s not even loud. Sensitive much? You sound like an old head