A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara

I would recommend everyone to embark on this emotional journey.  Step into this Little Life and simply allow the story to make you feel. That’s really all Yanagihara is trying to do.

Story of A Little Life

In this book, we follow Jude and his friends from their school years into adulthood. However, this is not your typical coming-of-age novel. The older they get, the more they realize that Jude, the heart of their friend group, has been hiding a horrific past. With everything Jude has had to endure, the world around him grows darker, and the rope he clings to becomes thinner and thinner. As their friendships deepen, the challenges each of them faces grow heavier and heavier. It’s only a matter of time before they all crack under the weight of it.

Review 

The use of language is captivating, it’s extremely well written. You’ll feel the characters with you in the room, accentuating the character-driven nature of the story. This book is very visual, which can be overwhelming at times, and for some, even too much. This does, however, truly bring the story to life. The lengthy introduction of this book provides a deep sense of who the characters are, gradually introducing key themes such as friendship, identity, and, as you might have guessed, abuse.

You’ll encounter moments that are ruthlessly cruel, and you might want to close your eyes, but you’ll also experience unconditional love in a way that no other book has ever been able to do so. I’ve never felt so much for a character; at times, it feels like I’m right there in the room with Jude, trying to help him, scream at him even. The contrast between Jude’s inability to believe he’s loved and the ease with which those around him do so, is both heartbreaking and astonishing. I am also deeply inspired by Willem’s character. He’s the purest soul that’s ever been written. He’s fiercely loyal and the most intelligent character I’ve encountered in any book before. A keeper, one that has to be remembered.

I understand that a Little Life might not be for everyone. It can be deeply triggering at times and is often unapologetically cruel. The raw, unsettling details cut straight to the soul and brought many of us to tears. That said, however, I deeply appreciate the portrayal of trauma and the topics Yanagihara dares to explore. It’s important, because it’s the reality of some people out there in the world. 

I loved every page (and there are many), and I’ll always keep these characters close to my heart, recognizing parts of them in the world around me.

“And so I try to be kind to everything I see, and in everything I see, I see him”