This book has affected me profoundly. There aren’t words that can sufficiently describe what I’m feeling right now-having finished this masterpiece twenty minutes ago.
The only word I can use is ‘catharsis’. This book is a purge of the soul like tragedy was for the Greeks. This book is a masterpiece that captures such a harrowing sadness, one that will linger for as long as it deems necessary. You get no choice in how this book affects you. You get no choice in when you begin to forget about it. Yanagihara’s writing is so profound that it commands your mind.
I cannot read an actors profile without thinking of Willem, I cannot paint without thinking of JB, I cannot see the beauty of architecture without Malcom, and I cannot drink coffee without thinking of Jude.
There were periods of such happiness that the sadness that followed felt as though it were soul shattering. Such a strong sorrow you would have to stop reading. As I read the final sentence I remember not being able to breathe, I was so taken aback by the events and the conclusion of it all. This book is character driven. There is no real plot but rather events that happen to the characters. Events that happen to Jude. This is why you feel such a connection to them. You view them as your own friends and you begin to view the world a little different. You begin to wonder about everyone else’s lives, what they’re thinking, what they’re feeling, what journeys they’re on. As you read through this novel you develop a bond with each character. Everything that happens to them is something that happens to you. For me, it was almost as if I could feel their pain. You know the ins and outs of these characters. You know things they are afraid to tell their loved ones. You become so immersed in their world that you start to believe that it is perhaps your own; as if your worlds have merged.
The shifts in points of views and the subsequent shifts in the writing style is amazing. I especially love how each character portrays the same situation different. While Jude may look at a situation with his uncanny nihilism, Willem will present the same stream of events in a coat of optimism. Each character is drastically different from one another yet they are bonded through experiences and that is what I love. They display the meaning of platonic and romantic soulmates. I am amazed that Yanagihara has managed to achieve this feeling through words.
The hollowness I feel now is wonderful. I can only hope my writing impacts someone like this book has impacted me.
Before reading A Little Life, it is important to remember to read the trigger warnings as it does contain heavy subject matter. I shall link the warnings at the end of this post. It is also important to remember, while this book is based on a true story, not every event occurred. Read this book while you’re in a good place in your life as it is harrowing. It is the most gut-wrenching, emotional book I have ever read and I am fortunate to have been able to read it.
The simple excellence of the writing is incredible. It is hard to eloquently describe how Yanagihara writes. I wish to emulate such skill. The way she writes about the characters thoughts in third person is probably the part that dazzles me the most. The novel is just a series of thoughts, a stream of reactions to a series of events. I feel so much joy amidst a good scene and feel the weight of when things start to go wrong-just as the character would.
Devastating, astonishing, extraordinary, a masterwork. Those are some of the reviews. Those are the words to best describe my opinions. Although, I would love to add one more word to the glossary. Beautiful. The way sorrow is portrayed is beautiful. Even the most grotesque of scenes like that of Lispenard Street have a beauty intertwined within them. Despite writing about the most harrowing of events in the most of vile places, Yanagihara constantly shows the elegance and the beauty of them. She describes the world in such a magical way while recognising that there is an abundance of disaster-events we should never overlook.
Overall, I would rate this book a 5/5. A Little Life has become my favourite novel and the characters of Jude, Willem, Malcom and JB are forever in my mind.
https://www.booktriggerwarnings.com/index.php?title=A_Little_Life_by_Hanya_Yanagihara