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grayjay 's review for:

To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
4.0

In three parts, three different stories, in different times are told, about men usually named David and Charles an their chosen families. Usually someone is also from Hawaii.

Yanagihara explores class and race divides in relationships, and we see gay relationships in alternate histories and speculative futures. In each story he also explores how people make decisions behind governments for the greater good and also as individuals to protect their loved ones—how people live with these decisions and justify them.

It was epic in scale and memorable. I enjoyed the speculative nature of the novel—seeing queer relationships and families in imagined worlds. What I found difficult was sympathizing with all of the characters, even when I understood their decisions. In the balance, I didn't like all the characters that I think I was supposed to.