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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
DNF’d
Honestly, this was too long for it’s own good. I enjoyed the second book, but the repeating of names with no links back to the previous books it was lazy writing that felt like there was little to no editing involved. I really enjoyed A Little Life but this felt overly languid, bloated and self indulgent.
Honestly, this was too long for it’s own good. I enjoyed the second book, but the repeating of names with no links back to the previous books it was lazy writing that felt like there was little to no editing involved. I really enjoyed A Little Life but this felt overly languid, bloated and self indulgent.
What I liked about this book:
The political commentary; the overarching themes of race, family, wealth, and love; the unique environment in each section. I was excited to pick this book up and read what would happen next. It was long but felt easy to read.
What I didn’t like about this book:
The fact that it was split into three distinct sections was a choice that I could theoretically get down with, but felt like it did the story as a whole a disservice. What I love about Yanagihara is her ability to create such vivid characters, and it was disappointing to read and learn about the characters in each book, only to have them completely disappear thereafter.
Book 3 was also the hardest for me to read in terms of enjoyment; although it was one of the easier sections to read, I found the subject matter hit too close to home. Although it’s more of a personal preference that I don’t like reading about pandemics while we’re still in one, it still affected my reading experience and made me a little ~uncomfy~ (maybe that’s the point, but still, I tend to choose books for their escapism factor).
It seems cruel to constantly compare an author to their previous work, but that seems to come with the territory of being an author. This was no A Little Life and it didn’t pretend to be. While I wouldn’t call this book a miss, it did lack on some of the aspects that made A Little Life so special to me. I probably won’t forget about To Paradise, but I won’t feel the need to pick it up again, either.
The political commentary; the overarching themes of race, family, wealth, and love; the unique environment in each section. I was excited to pick this book up and read what would happen next. It was long but felt easy to read.
What I didn’t like about this book:
The fact that it was split into three distinct sections was a choice that I could theoretically get down with, but felt like it did the story as a whole a disservice. What I love about Yanagihara is her ability to create such vivid characters, and it was disappointing to read and learn about the characters in each book, only to have them completely disappear thereafter.
Book 3 was also the hardest for me to read in terms of enjoyment; although it was one of the easier sections to read, I found the subject matter hit too close to home. Although it’s more of a personal preference that I don’t like reading about pandemics while we’re still in one, it still affected my reading experience and made me a little ~uncomfy~ (maybe that’s the point, but still, I tend to choose books for their escapism factor).
It seems cruel to constantly compare an author to their previous work, but that seems to come with the territory of being an author. This was no A Little Life and it didn’t pretend to be. While I wouldn’t call this book a miss, it did lack on some of the aspects that made A Little Life so special to me. I probably won’t forget about To Paradise, but I won’t feel the need to pick it up again, either.
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I finished this book, and well let’s just say that I need some time to process all of it. Book III was my absolute favourite.
Solid 4.3/5
Solid 4.3/5
Does it count as read if I got through 400 pages and gave up? I'm counting it. So very disappointing after absolutely loving A Little Life. A tome that's a slog is hard to endure but especially in the third section I really didn't care about the characters and just didn't want to spend any more time with this book.
Way too long. Some parts were interesting, others were downright boring and at times pointless. We have a 1000 page novel with a plethora of characters all named David, charlie, or Edward. Clever gimmick but it was more irritating to me.
Listened to the audiobook; I don't recommend it. The actors were terrible. Especially the last two narrators. One of them thought they were in a play, practically cry-reading his lines like he's up for an Oscar.
Just crap, little cat
Listened to the audiobook; I don't recommend it. The actors were terrible. Especially the last two narrators. One of them thought they were in a play, practically cry-reading his lines like he's up for an Oscar.
Just crap, little cat
The good:
- Very descriptive, flowing, evocative writing. So very readable.
- The whole second section set in 1993 New York / Hawaii (a bit earlier). I really enjoyed this whole part, the complex relations, the failed politics, the failed parenting; as well as the very affecting dinner party in 1993.
- The worldbuilding for the 2093 section! Hanya clearly had a very mindful pandemic, the dystopian society in 2093 is very detailed and very well thought through. The effects of multiple pandemics and global warming on politics, internationally and internally, are cleverly written.
- Well drawn, believable characters with interesting relationships to each other.
The less good:
- I honestly think the whole first section could be cut. It felt pointless writing this alternate history US, writing a very conventional love story that everyone has heard note by note before, and then not having the alternate history factor into any of the later sections.
- Hanya Yanagihara write a main character without a secret that will be slowly revealed to the reader challenge - impossible.
- I felt the climax of the final section was quite weak.
Feeling a high 3 on this one.
- Very descriptive, flowing, evocative writing. So very readable.
- The whole second section set in 1993 New York / Hawaii (a bit earlier). I really enjoyed this whole part, the complex relations, the failed politics, the failed parenting; as well as the very affecting dinner party in 1993.
- The worldbuilding for the 2093 section! Hanya clearly had a very mindful pandemic, the dystopian society in 2093 is very detailed and very well thought through. The effects of multiple pandemics and global warming on politics, internationally and internally, are cleverly written.
- Well drawn, believable characters with interesting relationships to each other.
The less good:
- I honestly think the whole first section could be cut. It felt pointless writing this alternate history US, writing a very conventional love story that everyone has heard note by note before, and then not having the alternate history factor into any of the later sections.
- Hanya Yanagihara write a main character without a secret that will be slowly revealed to the reader challenge - impossible.
- I felt the climax of the final section was quite weak.
Feeling a high 3 on this one.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 stars
This is a great book. Don’t get me wrong. It’s slow paced and long that it took me some time to finish the audiobook. I love the overarching themes of the book- love and to be loved. There’s 3 stories - all in different generations revolving a David and Charlie. The way the author weaves the story between these 2 characters and then you get a different story between a David and a Charlie, but the common theme is still the same. I don’t know how it ends. It’s a cliffhanger and i will have to google to see if Charlie is able to escape the country
This is a great book. Don’t get me wrong. It’s slow paced and long that it took me some time to finish the audiobook. I love the overarching themes of the book- love and to be loved. There’s 3 stories - all in different generations revolving a David and Charlie. The way the author weaves the story between these 2 characters and then you get a different story between a David and a Charlie, but the common theme is still the same. I don’t know how it ends. It’s a cliffhanger and i will have to google to see if Charlie is able to escape the country
UGH. While there were many aspects about this book (books?) that I enjoyed, and even loved, I detest unresolved endings. I want an ending that feels “finished.” Each time a book concluded, I was desperate for just one more page, one more chapter.
In my mind, nothing could ever compare to “A Little Life.” While not as depressing as Hanya Yanagihara’s bestseller, “To Paradise” was gut-wrenching in an entirely different way.
The use of the same character names throughout really irritated me at first, but by the end, I grew to enjoy it. There were definitely points where the overlapping names and themes confused me a bit, but I almost liked to think there was some connection between the characters across hundreds of years.
Book One: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
In my mind, nothing could ever compare to “A Little Life.” While not as depressing as Hanya Yanagihara’s bestseller, “To Paradise” was gut-wrenching in an entirely different way.
The use of the same character names throughout really irritated me at first, but by the end, I grew to enjoy it. There were definitely points where the overlapping names and themes confused me a bit, but I almost liked to think there was some connection between the characters across hundreds of years.
Book One: ⭐️⭐️⭐️