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A Little Life

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"A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara is a novel that delves into the lives of four men and their enduring friendship, with a focus on the character Jude who has survived significant abuse in his past. The book intricately portrays the struggles and relationships of the characters over time, leading readers through a rollercoaster of emotions from happiness to utter sadness. The author's writing style is described as immersive, intense, and at times, graphic, as it explores themes of love, trauma, and resilience in the face of adversity.

Characters:

The characters are multifaceted and deeply human, each dealing with their own struggles and supporting one another through pain.

Writing/Prose:

Yanagihara's writing style is emotive and vivid, creating lasting impressions through its detailed character portrayals.

Plot/Storyline:

The storyline intricately weaves the lives of the four friends, primarily centering on Jude's painful history and its effects on his adult life.

Setting:

Set in a contemporary New York City, the story uses its urban backdrop to emphasize the characters' emotional journeys.

Pacing:

The pacing combines slow character development with intense moments of trauma, keeping readers immersed yet sometimes fatigued.
THE ELEVENTH APARTMENT had only one closet, but it did have a sliding glass door that opened onto a small balcony, from which he could see a man sitting across the way, outdoors in only a T-shirt and ...

Notes:

A Little Life is over 700 pages long and is known for its intense emotional impact.
The novel follows four male friends—Jude, Willem, JB, and Malcolm—over several decades in New York City.
Jude St Francis, the main character, has a traumatic history involving severe abuse during his childhood.
The book addresses heavy themes such as self-harm, child abuse, mental illness, and the complexities of friendship.
Many readers report crying extensively while reading, with the book often described as emotionally devastating and gut-wrenching.
The writing style has been praised for its beauty and depth, even as the content has been criticized for being overly graphic and relentless in its depiction of suffering.
There are many trigger warnings associated with the novel due to its graphic content, including discussions of suicide and trauma.
The author, Hanya Yanagihara, has been called out for her views on therapy and mental health, which some readers find troubling in light of the book's themes.
The book's cover features a striking image that has drawn attention and mixed reactions from readers, with some finding it pretentious.
A Little Life has been nominated for several prestigious awards, including the Man Booker Prize.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains high levels of graphic content including child abuse, sexual assault, mental health struggles, self-harm, and themes of suicide.

Has Romance?

The romance element, primarily focused on the relationship between Jude and Willem, is significant but not the sole focus of the novel.

From The Publisher:

A stunning "portrait of the enduring grace of friendship" (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century.

A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST

A MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST

WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE

A Little Life follows four college classmates-broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition-as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara's stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves.

Look for Hanya Yanagihara's new novel, To Paradise, coming in January 2022.

Ratings (206)

Incredible (70)
Loved It (44)
Liked It (31)
It Was OK (20)
Did Not Like (22)
Hated It (19)

Reader Stats (659):

Read It (192)
Currently Reading (18)
Want To Read (301)
Did Not Finish (20)
Not Interested (128)

16 comment(s)

Incredible
1 week

Starts slow but what a well written story that kept me awake reading much later than I should have.

 
Incredible
2 months

i will defend this book with my life

 
It Was OK
2 months

I am too empathetic to read a book like this, and so are most of my book club members. Extremely well written, but so very, ceaselessly traumatic. 5 out of 8 book club members didn’t finish.

 
Incredible
3 months

I just need to know why would anyone write this

 
Loved It
5 months

This book is something that made me reflect in life and it got me more empathetic and showed me what i have to be grateful for. it was sad, emotional. it has all the trigger warnings. it got me depressed and it was too much at times to continue. the writing is phenomenal. it is so articulate and immerses you in the lives of the characters.

 
Hated It
5 months

This book too me forever to read. It was 800 pages of a dull depressing plot-less story. I don't understand why everyone loves this book. I can't believe I even finished it

 
Did Not Like
6 months

gorgeous writing but really it's just 700-whatever pages of sadporn, self-harm enabling, and suicide ideation. not my kink

 
Did Not Like
9 months

Unrealistic trauma porn

 
Loved It
9 months

Worth the hype.

 
Incredible
1 year

A Little Life is my absolute favorite book of all time. It is gut-wrenching. It is gorgeous. The characters have so much depth. It is everything I love in a novel. Yanagihara is a masterful writer.

 
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About the Author:

Hanya Yanagihara lives in New York City.Hanya Yanagihara is available for select speaking engagements. To inquire about a possible appearance, please contact Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau at speakers@penguinrandomhouse.com or visit www.prhspeakers.com.

 
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