i genuinely don't think you should read a little life to be honest. it's more harrowing than what you can imagine. that doesn't change the fact that it's really beautiful but considering you haven't done well with similar content, i personally wouldn't recommend it x
Thank you so much for your honesty, I truly appreciate it. 💛 After reading all of the comments I feel it’s probably not the right time to read it. I just wasn’t sure how deep it was going to go.
A Little Life is at least as intense as Push if not worse imo. I personally didn’t like A Little Life bc it just seemed like it was punishing the characters for no reason. The School for Good Mothers was interesting, a little heavy and left me wanting more but you might like it.
This is so helpful and I thought that would be the case. I will be leaving this on the shelf for now. I think my husband said he wants to read it so I’d love to ask him what he thinks of it. Thanks so much for sharing ❤️
Omg loooove your bowls!! So so glad you’re recovered from Covid 🩷 hahaha you picking up the host in Waterstones, teenage me loved that book 😂 I can’t wait for you to read noughts and crosses!!! I keep thinking about reading a little life but idk if my heart can handle, love the way your lil bookshelf turned out and omg 6 year old you.. soooo cute 🥹
Omg have you read it? I think I recognised it but never really heard anyone talking about it at the time. Yeah I think I’m parking A little life right now 😭😭 it sounds super intense Imagine if we did that as a buddy read?! 🙈 Haha I stole the photo from my parents house, sometimes it’s nice to see yourself as a kid isn’t it! Can’t wait to catch up on your next video! Also I’m LOVING tomorrow x3 so far! 🥰
I have a love hate relationship with A Little Life. I do think the writing is really amazing but personally I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone only because I feel as though the author uses incredibly traumatising events for the purpose of shock value. I've read many books that discuss heavy triggering topics with the purpose of raising awareness and to allow the reader to gain perspective, I felt as though A Little Life did not have that kind of approach. An example of a book that deals with traumatising events in a really understanding way is My Dark Vanessa, Kate Elizabeth Russell handles the topics in a very gentle empathetic sort of way, whereas in A Little Life it feels as through the author is trying to get a reaction out of you. I think you have to be a certain type of person to enjoy a book like this and I am not one of them, maybe that's because I'm sensitive but I don't know I reckon you should tread with caution haha. Sorry for that info dump, I love your long chatty vlogs btw, your channel is so comforting to me!!!
Hey Nickelle! I'd like to recommend you The Broken Earth trilogy. It is by N.K. Jemisin, a black author. They are not British, afaik. This trilogy is in between fantasy and sci-fi. It is brilliant! One of my most favorite books! And they are only about 300 - 400p each (not long at all for this genre 😅). The main themes revolved around are mother - daughter relationship and different kinds of love. The writing is beautiful and unique. Difficult to put down. My favorite booktubers aside from you 😁) are featuring this trilogy among their all time favorite ( Peruse Project, The Book Leo, Cari Can Read ). Love the content you are creating and it is clear to see how you get better and better at it with each video! Hugs from Romania 🤗
Lovely vlog, Nickelle! Re A Little Life: there are a few sections that are really intense and some problematic themes. That said, the vast majority of the book focuses more of friendship and beautiful writing so... I would recommed it but only when you feel in a good, strong state of mind. I do think of it as a modern classic and the characters will stay with you. 🥺❤
Thank you this is so helpful!! I think I’m going to leave it for now, but it’s defo a book I want to read eventually I think. 💛 Thanks for sharing this though 😊
Lovely long vlog!! I love the new book shelves that you chose, they look gorgeous. I'm so sorry you had covid and I'm glad you're ok, it must have been so scary after what you went through previously. You mentioned so many books that I've either read or want to read that I forgot most of what I wanted to say 😂 Ace Of Spades is our work book club book for August. Looking forward to that one. Also really want to read Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband. Natives is really good. Must read Small Worlds as I adored Open Water. Pleeeease give Writers & Lovers another chance!! I've read it twice and it was 5* both times. I did listen on audio and there's a great narrator. I want to read all of her books! Oh and thank you for saying that there is a sequel next month to the girl with the louding voice!! I'm so happy!! I always hoped she'd wrote a sequel and that book is just wonderful +++!
I'm just mentioning this for the info of anyone else who wonders how to mask indoors (for example, at events or in the cinema) and still not dehydrate. You can get these reusable valves that you put into your FFP2/FFP3 mask and you can sip your drink through straws in the valve! They're called Sip Masks. They're in the UK at the face mask store, but probably cheaper just to get a few from the States, tbh. Hope this helps x
Yay! You're gonna read Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow, it's such a good book! I read Blue Sisters and enjoyed it but was a little disappointed at the end. I added so many books from your tbr shelf to my tbr list lol I'll never get through them all. So glad you recovered from having covid again and it was mild this time. ❤
I’m currently reading Tomorrow x3 and it’s amazing!!!! Ahh that’s a shame about Blue Sisters. 😂😂 haha I do the same with other people’s videos too! I’ve already got even more books in my basket 😅🙈 Thank you!! ❤
As a bookseller, here's my take on A Little Life. Yes, the book is full of repeated child rape in graphic detail. People often refer to it as torture porn, but I don't think it is. Yanagihara uses child rape on Jude's character because she needs him to have certain characteristics that fit her story. It's not pornography she's writing about -- it's about how abuse can change the psyche of a person so deeply, they barely think they're a person at all. They think they deserve it -- how often does a victim say that? It's heartbreaking, and how do you have any kind of relationship with that kind of person? They "know" they are worthless, so what does anything matter? This is what Yanagihara is writing about. She does not hate gay men or blacks or minorities; she asked her own friends -- POC gay men -- for help with POC gay male life. Yanagihara did do tons of research for this book. Yanagihara is, herself, a POC. This was my favorite book the year it came out. I am the kind of person -- despite being sensitive to a fault -- who can read about awful things and have that inform the reading experience, not my life. But if you feel you can't read about child rape, then definitely don't read this book. I just really hate that there's so much disinformation out there about Yanagihara because people opposed her book. The opposition to her book is fine -- it's legit to not like a book for whatever reason, or no reason. Based on your reaction (which is perfectly legitimate) to Push/Precious, which I did also read, I'd skip ALL. Hope this helps.
If you're looking for a fun urban fantasy written by a black author you should check out King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness! It takes Caribbean folklore and puts it in a modern London setting. I really enjoyed it and think it should be getting more attention tbh
As a disabled person I have a pretty extreme dislike of A Little Life. The entire book felt like an exercise for the author in how much she could shock an audience. A friend of mine referred to it as "disability porn" and I couldn't agree more. I wholeheartedly wouldn't recommend it, especially if you dnf'ed Precious.
Hi Nickelle! Really enjoyed this video ❤️❤️ please don't read a little life or anything by yanagihara, if you do a quick google you will find how problematic she is (from writing trauma porn, doing little to no research about mental illness when writing a little life, and so much more). I unfortunately read it a few years ago before knowing any of this, and from reading the book through I've also concluded that she obviously has issues with gay men, poor men, and men of colour :/
I read a little life, it was definitely dark. Have you read any trigger warnings? That would be helpful to see if you feel comfortable reading it or not! I did like it overall but it was very very sad and disturbing
Yes I’ve checked out the triggers, and they’re quite 😬😬😬 That’s why I wanted to ask what is everyone else’s take on it. I think I’m going to pass on it for not, but who knows, I may feel more open to reading it later on. It does sound really intense and dark though. 😔
I adored A Little Life. Such a fantastic book. I don’t know if you’d like it though based on your usual reviews of heavier, grittier reads. It’s a thousand times more gritty and dark and depressing than I see Buildings for example (plus it’s 4 times the length so you’re in it for a long old time) and you don’t seem to love the grittier reads in your vlogs and reviews? 😅
Haha yeah I expect it to be incredibly more depressing and darker than I see Buildings 😂 I don’t mind dark and gritty books, I just have to be in the mood for them tbh I think at this moment in my life, it isn’t the best time to read a little life, but I do want to read it at some point if I’m honest. I’m so glad you enjoyed it though ☺️
Because you've asked for non-spoilery warnings, I would like to flag Boy Parts by Eliza Clark. I almost bought it recently at a used bookshop, and read the first page of it, and that already had some disgusting things. Would suggest to skip that as well if you are sensitive to such things.
Oh, and Rosewater I think is general fiction enough to be safe. It deals with personal drama between the main character and her love interests, but not heavy themes in any other sense. It is quite summery, so it would be perfect for the transition between summer and autumn period. It takes place over multiple months around that period.
Don't get me started on the weather!! 😮 Literally been like Oct weather?? But we're in July??!! 😅 Yeah the effects of growing up on RU-vid is like the effects of social media in general on young teens and kids etc! We won't know until like 10 maybe even 20 years after! I can only imagine how it might affect them and I totally understand why people do and also don't show their kids online! Esp 'cause there are so many creeps online and you can't control who sees what you're posting! Well on RU-vid anyway! Even more so if you're an influencer/RU-vidr (or whatever word people prefer)!
unpopular opinion, but I don't think a little life is that well written. it's overdone and it also feels like gratuitous violence instead of something necessary for the story. I could go on for a while but I'll leave it at that ❤
