Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by rholbrook
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
5.0
Where do I even begin to explain this book? This definitely isn’t a book for the faint-hearted, and if you’re sensitive to any kind of emotional, physical or sexual abuse, be warned that this book contains it all.
The story follows four friends (Malcolm, JB, Willem and Jude) after they move to New York from Massachusetts having recently graduated college. We follow the four men from their mid-twenties to their fifties, and see them at their best and (especially) their worst times.
The crux of the whole story, though, and the character keeping everyone else together, is Jude St. Francis. A mysterious, enigmatic character who has suffered a terrible childhood and upbringing. Yanagihara slowly hints at what kind of an upbringing Jude has had, but you don’t understand the full extent of Jude’s past until you have finished the book. In fact, the title of this book couldn’t be more appropriate. By the time you have finished all 720 pages, it really does feel as if you have lived these characters’ lives alongside them.
The writing wasn’t particularly beautiful or unique, but Yanagihara somehow made me feel so connected to every one of these characters. I especially loved Willem, Jude and Harold. In fact, I found myself thinking of these three characters even when I wasn’t reading the book. Even during mundane events like sitting in traffic or daydreaming at work, I would think about these characters as if they were real people and wondered what they were up to. It takes an incredible writer to be able to do that. I did feel as though JB and Malcolm could have been featured a little more in the second half of the book, but I was so enamored by Jude and Willem’s friendship at this point that I really didn’t care.
This was one of those unique books that I wish I could savor all over again from the very beginning. I was sad to reach the end, yet simultaneously felt a sense of relief, both at finishing a 720 page book and also relieved at the ending Yanagihiara leaves the reader with. I absolutely adored this book and will continue to think of Jude, Willem, Malcolm and JB in years to come. By far one of my favorite books.
The story follows four friends (Malcolm, JB, Willem and Jude) after they move to New York from Massachusetts having recently graduated college. We follow the four men from their mid-twenties to their fifties, and see them at their best and (especially) their worst times.
The crux of the whole story, though, and the character keeping everyone else together, is Jude St. Francis. A mysterious, enigmatic character who has suffered a terrible childhood and upbringing. Yanagihara slowly hints at what kind of an upbringing Jude has had, but you don’t understand the full extent of Jude’s past until you have finished the book. In fact, the title of this book couldn’t be more appropriate. By the time you have finished all 720 pages, it really does feel as if you have lived these characters’ lives alongside them.
The writing wasn’t particularly beautiful or unique, but Yanagihara somehow made me feel so connected to every one of these characters. I especially loved Willem, Jude and Harold. In fact, I found myself thinking of these three characters even when I wasn’t reading the book. Even during mundane events like sitting in traffic or daydreaming at work, I would think about these characters as if they were real people and wondered what they were up to. It takes an incredible writer to be able to do that. I did feel as though JB and Malcolm could have been featured a little more in the second half of the book, but I was so enamored by Jude and Willem’s friendship at this point that I really didn’t care.
This was one of those unique books that I wish I could savor all over again from the very beginning. I was sad to reach the end, yet simultaneously felt a sense of relief, both at finishing a 720 page book and also relieved at the ending Yanagihiara leaves the reader with. I absolutely adored this book and will continue to think of Jude, Willem, Malcolm and JB in years to come. By far one of my favorite books.