A review by ajseyler
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I kept seeing the videos of "This is me at the beginning A Little Life" and "This is me at the end of A Little Life" so I put it on my list. I usually read a Wally Lamb 700 pager during the summer but I'm all out, so knew this was the time for Yanagihara. I seriously couldn't put this book down (which is saying something because it's like 700+ pages) - I truly loved it. I grew attached to the characters and their relationships, I became so invested in seeing what they would do with their lives and how things would play out between them. Yanagihara is such a fantastic storyteller - she has a way of weaving words together and making you feel powerful emotions. I was blown away at how fast-paced the book felt, it was a page turner for me. Don't get me wrong, the book was very difficult to read because of the heaviness of the themes, experiences, and ideas shared, but it was so deeply beautiful that that outweighs the toughness (take breaks!) I think you have to go into the book fully prepared [to be emotionally wrecked] but that shouldn't stop anyone from diving in - it is so so worth it. The beauty. The profound. It's just an absolute stunner of a book. Highly highly recommend!
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