Reviews

Folket i træerne by Hanya Yanagihara

robisreading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

alissamk's review against another edition

I'll have to think about how to rate this one.

anyjayname's review against another edition

4.0

it didn't make me happy, felt deeply unsettled and grossed out. four stars.

hannybridget's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse

hottestboy's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Hanya I don’t think I like you. 

pipita's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

stern_klee's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

lucylove's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

beasreads111's review against another edition

I really don’t know what to think of this novel.
It was a slog at first and did not get interesting until 100+ pages in and although I enjoy the depth of characters Yaganihara is able to portray in her books I think the initial background story presented at the start of the book was unnecessary and boring.
However, as the story progressed I found myself strangely compelled and intrigued by the mystery of the plot as it became increasingly unsettling. Both narrators in this book feel as if they are protecting the main character, excusing, and explaining his behaviour. It left me disliking the Norton and suspicious throughout, all suspicions are of course confirmed true very bluntly in the epilogue.
Impressively written and I loved the added detail in the footnotes but an unsettling novel that was not an easy read in any way.

tablereader234's review against another edition

5.0

As with Yanagihara's other books, some research into the darker content contained in this novel may help those considering a read can be helpful. But I love this book not only for the mystical world created on it islands, but for its unflinching depiction of scientific racism/colonialism, historical revisionism, and the slow descent into evil that seems so logical at the time. And from a narrative perspective, the withholding of one specific part of the story at the very end at the hands of the main character's acolyte is brilliant. A good story in its own right and a thought-provoking companion to considerations of historical events in colonized countries.