A review by xshu1
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was a wild ride. Full of thought provoking moments and a representation of how colonialism occurs, the dark side of science and the deep dive into the white superiority complex.

nah but for real the plot was okay. it was a good medium to talk about the effects of colonialism and how it happens. Hanya really seems to be good at writing things from the perspective of men. The twisted mind of the main character was well fleshed out. The setting was amazingly thought out.
However the writing and pace at times were painstakingly long, and the amount of unnecessary information had me itching to try not to skip paragraphs/pages ahead
The only saving grace here is Ms Yanagihara's beautiful, spectacular and amazing writing. The writing is absolutely CARRYING my rating. The diction is simply *chefs kiss*. I could get lost in this world any day. 
Its so interesting how the editor of Norton's biography (Dr Kubodera) was so infatuated with him that he was willing to look past such a heinous crime (child sexual assault) and Norton's clear affinity towards touching children. Even more, he was willing to omit it to the reader in order to highlight Norton's "wit, his intelligence, his passion and compassion" so that it "will be the things the reader remembers from this account, will be the things that define him in history". 
*pikachu face*
Norton is borderline a narcissist yall. He single handedly destroyed a native population, a species of animal, his children's lives and Victor's life. And they gave him 2 years in Jail.
Also Yanagihara's portrayal of women rub me the wrong way. But it could be a realistic portrayal of what men often think of women, which is with disdain.
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