158 ratings (3.97 avg)
121 reviews

#45 best reviewers

Zara

Add friend

Zara ’s Bookshelves

to-read‎ (329)
currently-reading‎ (2)

read‎ (181)
did-not-finish‎ (8)

year-in-review‎ (1)

Stats | More…

Zara is Currently Reading

Zara is currently reading

A Little Life

by Hanya Yanagihara (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Reading for the 3rd time

read in February 2023

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Zara said: " I have tried time and time again to write a review for A Little Life but words always eluded me. However, I refuse to let this book go without pitching in my silly little review because this story will always stay with me. It is one of the most well I have tried time and time again to write a review for A Little Life but words always eluded me. However, I refuse to let this book go without pitching in my silly little review because this story will always stay with me. It is one of the most well written books I have ever read, and I will NEVER read it again. Not even if my life depended on it. Why? You ask? Well, simply because it made me absolutely miserable, nearly delirious with sadness. I cried and cried, washed my face, and then I cried some more. Somehow, I managed to finish it, proceeded to search fan art on Pinterest, while simultaneously listening to a sad playlist I made for this book on Spotify and guess what? I cried again.

Two things, dear readers, I'd warn you about before (or IF) you decide to indulge in this bleak and dismal read. (Please check TWs before reading)
Do not let yourself be fooled by the title 'A Little Life ' nor by the promise of 'The Happy Years' in part V.
The title I find quite ironic because in no way this book seems to be little. It is a 700+ pages long LONG life filled with ALL the miseries that can befall ONE character. So I like to think of 'A Little Life ' not as the span of a life but the emotion of life. That little beam of happiness and liveliness, that little passion for being alive that we're all constantly in search of, which was resolutely absent from Jude's life.
As for the "Happy Years" what can I say, there are NO happy years. Happiness and A Little Life do not go together. Nope nada no, forget about happiness while you read this book.

A Little Life has thoroughly fleshed out characters, you even get to know minute (but not excessive) details about the minor characters, which makes you feel like you know everyone in this book. This is what keeps you going despite all the pain. This and the fact that it gives you hope again and again and snatches it from you AGAIN and AGAIN.
So yes, A Little Life is a great book. No, I will NEVER recommend it to you.

Here's the link to my Spotify playlist for A Little Life.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5DZ... ...more "

progress:

(50%)
"Oh Jude. 😔" — Jan 29, 2023 09:58AM

Aug 03, 2024 02:28AM · see review

Zara is currently reading

The Count of Monte Cristo

by Alexandre Dumas

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

progress:

(page 450 of 1276)
— Sep 22, 2025 09:37AM

Jun 16, 2025 06:53AM

Zara ’s Quotes

“Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.”
― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own

tags: freedom, women, writing

12761 likes

“To define is to limit.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

tags: dandy, lord-henry-wotton, wilde

6084 likes

“I am tired of myself tonight. I should like to be somebody else.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

tags: ennui

1150 likes

“Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you! Let nothing be lost upon you. Be always searching for new sensations. Be afraid of nothing.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

2249 likes

“Society often forgives the criminal; it never forgives the dreamer.”
― Oscar Wilde

1460 likes

More of Zara ’s quotes…

recent posts
Zara ’s Groups

Addicted to YA — 66232 members — last activity 1 minute ago
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put bac ...more

swifties who also read — 46576 members — last activity 1 hour, 4 min ago
join this if you love taylor swift and books -- Welcome to the group! This is your mod, Neena. The creator of this group's account sadly does not exis ...more

Young Readers — 553 members — last activity Feb 16, 2023 11:36AM
A bookworm? A teen? Come one, come all! Welcome to our group, the Young Readers :) This group will have diverse kinds of challenges and readathons t ...more

The YA Book Club — 21831 members — last activity May 03, 2026 09:25AM
This is a book club for all those who love Young Adult books. We know you love to read, and so do we. We will have optional group reads each month. If ...more

The Perks Of Being A Book Addict — 37655 members — last activity 2 hours, 2 min ago
This group is for anyone who loves books from different genres. Every month we have group Books of the Month which you can join, reading challenges, a ...more

More of Zara ’s groups…