We also discover that Jude self-mutilates via cutting, that he hides from everyone in his life. Slowly, we find out that Jude was an orphan who was raised by abusive priests his past leaves him with several emotional and physical scars that leave Jude with an inability to feel love and acceptance. These all start to sound like problems of the privileged, until we find out the tumultuous past life Jude had prior to living in New York. Yanagihara captures what it is like to be in a type of uncertainty or ‘limbo’ after college, and illustrates the struggles of finding inspiration and a creative identity. The beginning of the book describes the lives of four friends who are up and coming artists in New York that paints a dreamy picture of blind, pure ambition. Francis - the novel’s principal character - a deeply troubled young man, that Yanagihara slowly and deliberately reveals throughout the course of the novel. I threw myself into the world of Jude St. A Little Life was considered one of the best books of the year by several prestigious publications and all the online reviews coined the novel as life changing - and I was ready to have my life changed. I stuck to it because I was dedicated to finishing a book that wasn’t a fluffy memoir about a white women in her twenties - something I have become too familiar with. Sofie Parker is a Cal State Long Beach student and intern at Brown Paper Press.A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is a 720 page book with a black-and-white image of a crying man on the cover this alone was a good indication that the book was going to be the emotional equivalent of watching My Girl in my formative years (spoiler alert: lots of hormones). However, if you’re willing to step outside of your comfort zone for an extremely impactful, emotional, riveting book with characters that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it, give A Little Life a try. If you approach A Little Life with either of these expectations, you will be disappointed. Overall, it seems that most negative reviews on Goodreads came from people looking for either a light beach read or a typical coming-of-age novel. But based on the high-quality writing and story-telling within A Little Life, it’s absurd to say that this book is objectively bad. Of course, people have a right to their opinions. The fact that A Little Life evokes such strong reactions is evidence of this. Yanagihara’s writing is beautiful, as is her ability to build character and emotion. The book’s shifting perspectives, as well as the characters’ evolving reactions to this abuse, keep the storyline feeling fresh. It also shows the many ways that the cycle of abuse can be perpetuated. And, if anything, Yanagihara’s use of repetition creates a more realistic depiction of the lasting damage caused by child abuse. Like any book, there are recurring themes. And isn’t that the point of literary fiction? While none of these concepts will keep you on the edge of your seat, I guarantee that you will come to care deeply about each of these characters. Many of these are common, everyday events: adjusting to new jobs, falling in and out of love, facing depression and self-doubt. The rising and falling action of the plot reflects the experiences of four friends navigating their lives and relationships. This is not an adventure book, nor is it filled with extreme action sequences. So while this book is often sad, it’s never unnecessarily so. Despite the heavy topics, this balance allows the book to remain palpable while exploring difficult topics. In addition, Yanagihara often alternates between painful and joyful events, providing respite at just the right times. This being said, these topics are incorporated purposefully, either to give insight into a character’s background or to drive the plot forward. There are heavy, disturbing themes within this book, and at times the subject matter-child abuse, rape, self-harm-can feel overwhelming. However, the length is necessary to tell the story. If you’re looking for a quick read, this book is obviously not for you. I personally finished this book in a week and never tired of it. With each chapter, you delve deeper into the minds of these characters, helping your connection to them grow. Also, this book is extremely character-driven. The book closely follows four friends through decades of their lives there’s a lot of material to cover. Looking at the premise, though, it makes sense. Containing over 800 pages, there’s no denying that A Little Life is a lengthy read.
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