OK, I have some complaints to make, so sit back and relax (SPOILERS, OBVIOUSLY)
First of all, yes, I read all 814 pages, but the last 300, maybe even half, were a hate read. In fact, that's my first complaint – how was this thing not edited down? Did we really need another "Jude cuts himself" scene? Another "Jude is back in the hospital" scene? An Andy or Harold "I'm worried about you Jude" scene? Another detailed description of a fancy dinner, party or trip? Is the author aware how many people "he" could refer to in the story as many times as she used that pronoun?
Here's more: There were so many flashbacks that it was hard to follow the current narrative in the timeline of the book. A character would begin to do something, think back to an incident years ago, and 20 pages later finish the task. There would be years-long leaps in time where the reader would then have to be caught up in what happened in the interim. It made for a confusing read at many points. The three out-of-nowhere chapters written by Harold to Willem(??) made no sense, except to provide some type of epilogue.
The Jude problem: I honestly had a hard time believing how people adored, worshiped and sacrificed for this guy. We are TOLD how great a person he is, but everything else showed a stubborn, insubordinate, closed-off and at times ungrateful "friend". He froze out JB for years after he made a terrible judgement in attacking Jude's disabilities, even when he knew he was on drugs, but quickly and instantly forgave Malcolm for saying something just as bad, completely sober. He was a straight up dick to Andy and Harold who bent over backwards for him. But of course he was so irresistible he managed to get his handsome, famous, movie star best friend to fall for him (this is probably when the hate reading started for me). Weirdly, all of these four friends are so awesome that they were ALL incredibly successful and at the top of their fields in law, art, architecture and acting. Wow!
And really, I'm not going to belabor the "torture porn" of it all (which I see is a consistent criticism and have since learned was maybe part of the author's intention) but Jude's life?
Abandoned as a baby > taken to monastery > abused physically and sexually > groomed and kidnapped by Brother Luke > forced into child prostitution > placed in a group home > sexually abused and raped > runs away, turns tricks to travel because every truck driver is a pederast > gets kidnapped by another pedophile > raped and imprisoned > released, run over by a car (BTW how is he found and taken to a hospital? How was the Dr. identified, tried and convicted?)
As an adult: continues to self harm through cutting, burning and intentionally falling > raped and beaten by abusive boyfriend > has legs amputated > has his partner and another best friend die in a car crash > kills himself.
I mean, it becomes objectively, unintentionally hilarious at some point. And I say "unintentional" because there is not a DROP of humor in this novel. Even the parts that are intended to be jokey or lighthearted fall absolutely flat.
OK, I feel better now, much as you do after you feel nauseous and finally puke your guts out. If you finished this, thanks for reading. If you feel like joining in, feel free. If you have objections, I'm open to that too.
by Will_McLean