A review by harryjandrews_99
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This is my second Yanagihara book after reading A Little Life which I absolutely loved, and To Paradise I found was quite a rollercoaster. It’s separated into 3 strokes which take place 100 years from each other and is set in an alternative version of America. The first book I loved and was my favourite of the 3, though it was also the shortest. It seemed quite happy and “fluffy” compared to A Little Life and I wasn’t sure what to expect from Yanagihara’s second novel.  Book 2 was my least favourite, it’s split into two parts: part 1 I loved once again but part 2 I didn’t care for as much - although Yanagihara’s writing is truly beautiful and so I wasn’t bored by it. The final book really had me confused at first, so different thematically to the first two books that I was like wait what is happening here. It seemed to have gone left field and onto a subject matter, irrelevant to the first two stories. But as I read more of this final story, it grew on me, I was rooting the Charlie and intrigued to know what was going to happen. The biggest issue I had with book 3 was I found the context of the dystopian 2093 society a bit too confusing. There was a fair bit of scientific terminology and it was a bit hard to follow the history and society of this alternative America. Nonetheless I still enjoyed it. Overall, the book centres on storylines all about characters, which I suspect are descendants from each other, yearning to find the perfect place for themselves and their loved ones. I’m essence a journey To Paradise