For me it wasn’t any sort of surprise ending or specific scene that broke me, it was just so much emotion that it was more of a huge emotional release by the end for all the hurt you’ve been experiencing with him. I just needed to cry it out and feel/purge the entire story after finishing it.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that the trajectory of the story makes sense. You have to have a long view of life in general, but illness in particular. My dad became diabetic in his early 40s back in the early 90s. I haven't researched what diabetes medications were available, but I believe they were limited and he became insulin-dependent pretty soon after his diagnosis. His case was particularly severe and within a span of a few years he had neuropathy (requiring amputations), retinopathy (pretty much lost his vision), and nephropathy (kidney failure, dialysis, and transplant). I know matters were worsened by mental illness that began for him in his childhood; it made him very self-destructive when it came to managing his diabetes. I saw the ceaseless complications and hopelessness with no improvements or respite of chronic illness, so when people say that this is torture porn... I'm like, "Um, no," some people just have bad starts, get sick, and can't take care of themselves and things just unravel for them. It's hard to read about and even harder to live through.
I'm tearing up just hearing about this story. I'm a little too sensitive in my life right now to handle such a story but it sounds wonderfully written.
I finished this tonight. I lost my grandmother 2 weeks ago and then the world was thrown into chaos. So I really took my time with this. I loved hearing your thoughts on your reading experience! I do think the ending is not the most effective part of the book, but I like that we come full circle. He is with Harold at the apartment building where we spent the first chunk of the book and got to know our characters and their love for each other. He can’t say what he should to Harold, but he tells him a story about his friends. His death almost feels like a footnote. His journey is so heartbreaking, but the takeaway for me was that not everything can be healed. You can still have joy, and friendship, and love, but some wounds stay. The title really hit me after reading as I feel like there are so many ways you can interpret it once you have lived Jude’s story with him. Can we ever really love someone enough to repair the damage within them? I don’t think so, but we try. Reading about the love within that group, and between Harold, Julia, Andy, Willem, and his circle of friends was so powerful. They tried. And that feels big and important. A little life indeed. I look forward to seeing your April videos. Thank you for sharing this!
I'm so sorry to hear your lost your grandmother and I'm sending you lots of love in this trying time. I agree, my biggest takeaway was also how hard we try to show/convince those we love of their worthiness of that love. How much weight we put on how the love we feel is received and the good it does in other people's lives. It's a powerful thing but it's not magic, it can't heal some of the wounds inflicted by the world. I'm glad you took your time and didn't push to read it if you weren't ready to. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
Love your review! I agree, there were characters in there that didn't need to be a part of the story. They added nothing to it. My favorite character has to be Jude's new dad. My heart broke for him the most.
I finished it yesterday. I don’t know how to feel about it...I get the essence of the book but it has so many problems. It feels like a three star for me. There were so many ways the chapters could have been ended to give a bigger impact but it kept going on.
I agree. The ending was not as impactful as it could have been and that annoyed me most but that held throughout the entire book. It's not without its issues but I am still glad that I got around to it.
I started reading this with you in the buddy read but unfortunately fell way behind and to be honest some scenes were a little tough for me to get through and had to take a break. I just finished it and couldn’t wait to watch your vlog to see your thoughts in real time! For me I didn’t really start getting invested until about 300 pages in. There were times that I didn’t know who’s head I was in because the formatting was so weird 🤔 I read this on my Nook so that could of made a difference. For instance one sentence we are with Judes POV then the very next sentence we are in Heralds POV. It was like complete whiplash! I’m also with you on the fact that I felt like this was too long! Sometimes I felt like I was reading this because it was my job (especially at the beginning) but it definitely had an impact on me! I won’t feel comfortable recommending this to just anyone. I’m glad I read it and it is done! I struggled between a 3 or 4 star and settled on a 4 star because Of the impact it had on me! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I always value your opinion and sorry I couldn’t finish in time with the rest of the buddy read group!
Thank you for finishing it and taking the time you needed for it. That formatting for the ebook sounds awful and I'm so sorry! Yikes. I agree, it's not a book that you can blanket recommend, it's only for specific readers.
Have been looking forward to this although I’ve seen so many people cry over this which it guts me seeing you cry and I end up crying along with you x good luck with this, this is right at the beginning of video.....here we go
Just finished the book 📖 but it took a week, I think the beginning was important even tho slow- is important because you know the characters & care about them as the journey progresses. Novels don’t make me cry- the only other book I can remember that made me cry was “ Charlotte’s Web “ 🕷 so even tho I heard people talking about how it made them cry, I thought...Not Me ! I did get water eyed at some point although many other times I was just sad & fearful about what was coming & took a break watching or reading something frivolous. The last 100 pages I couldn’t put down & by the last 10 pages, indeed I cried. 💔
I don't know that it's possible to get through this book without some tears. There was too much pain and heartache in it to come away unscathed. But, I'm glad you took it on and finished it.
What are all the colour coded tabs in your book? I had to stop at 6:20 cuz it sounded like u might give spoilers or at least info/details about 2nd part of your reading and I haven't started yet!
Late commenter here haha. I finished the book about a week or so ago and a day hasn’t gone by where I haven’t thought about it. But for the ending, I think it was a way to bring it back to the beginning. Especially with the first part and last part both being titled Lispenard Street. Maybe it was to help show that Judes story really wasn’t one that would get better. And that in the end, time would circle around right to the beginning. (I’m sorry if this something that’s already been said in the comments.)
I appreciate your input so much! I just struggled with wanting something more from the ending. Not sure how that would have manifested itself or looked...I was just left kinda meh on it. But I do see the full circle now that you've mentioned it.
I don't really enjoy seeing you in pain. But in a reading vlog where you cry it makes me more interested to read a book you love. But I've never had much intrest for A Little Life. The book is very popular so I do still find some entertainment in watching or reading reviews for it. Bear Town is something I might like to read. But I've heard it's about a hockey team and I am not into sports so that makes me less excited to read it.
If I had to recommend one over the other there is NO question that I would recommend Beartown. Yes, it's about a town that loves hockey and a hockey team/players BUT it can be related to any town that's passionate about anything, really. I won't say that hockey isn't important to the plot but sub out a town that loves any sport, crop, event/festival and it's pretty relatable, still. Don't let that stop you from reading it.
What perfect timing, I finished it today and my face is still puffy. I didn't really cry throughout it, like you I was more angry. At what happened to Jude, his refusal to share with those who loved him, and how he endured so much physical and emotional pain because he felt he didn't deserve their love and devotion. The scene with Harold and Julia "my sweetheart, my baby" completely ripped me apart. As far as the ending, I interpreted that as the moment Jude made the decision to finally open up and write the 8-page letter with his backstory to Harold and Julia. Thank you for hosting this readalong. As hard as it was to read, I'm giving it five stars and can easily see it at the top of my best of list.
