What is the saddest book you’ve ever read?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Kite Runner
Wave
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (the roses)

Kite Tunner is now a book often read/required in high school.

[Anonymous]

Hanya Yanagihara's novel, “A Little Life”

[Anonymous]

"Where the Red Fern Grows," a dog story.

[Anonymous]

Agree with so many on here, and will add A Tale of Two Cities. I was taken off guard at the end, on a plane, and was just sobbing. Had to stop and read the last few pages once I landed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first time I read “The Kite Runner”, I was on an airplane and had to go in the bathroom so I could cry. I was affected for weeks by that book. It was so good but really hit me hard.

+1

The first one I thought of was The Kite Runner.

Me too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Where the Red Fern Grows," a dog story.

I read this recently to my 8 & 10 year olds. We had recently read The Cay, in which a main character dies. They did not seem too bothered, so I thought they were ready for WRFG. Boy, was I wrong. At the end, my youngest was wailing. Made me cry, too, even though I remembered the ending from when I was a kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A Child Called It

+1

Was coming to post this one too

[Anonymous]

Go Ask Alice

[Anonymous]

A Little Life.

Honorable mention for The Book Thief.

[Anonymous]

I remember when my teacher (second grade?) read A Taste of Blackberries to us it devastated me. I think it was my first experience with a main character's death. The teacher was using it as an example of a first person point of view.

[Anonymous]

Many that were already mentioned, but as far as new releases go, The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner made me want to walk into traffic. I probably shouldn't have started it 2 weeks post-partum.

Great book, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A fine balance.

Yep. That ending . . .

I am still haunted by that book. Just seeing the title makes me tear up. Why is life so unjust?

+1. A brilliant, heartbreaking and haunting book. I've never read anything so filled with despair.

[Anonymous]

I've read a bunch of these books and they have NOTHING on The Wave. (not OP) It is truly one of the most devastating books ever.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t read the book (A Long Way Home), but Lion was a devastating movie for me.

As a kid... lots of the classics already mentioned like Red Fern, Blue Dolphins, Terabithia. Also... My Girl.

[Anonymous]

Sarah’s Key
Wave