Note from Mrs. Long – this is an adult book, not a teen book, with sensitive subject matter.

A Little Life (2015)

Author: Hanya Yanagihara

Total Pages: 814

Rating: 3.5 /5

Review:

Wow… this book was the dictionary definition of an emotional rollercoaster. I’ve never read a book with this much complexity ever in my life. Written by Hanya Yanagihara, A Little Life follows the lives of four college classmates as they take their steps into adulthood and endure the hardships that come with responsibility.

 I’m going to say it now because this must be stressed: PLEASE search the trigger warnings before reading this book! I can’t stress this point enough. With this amount of deepness fit into a book, there are so many sensitive factors that allow for a plot like this to be developed.

As for characters, there are four main characters: JB, Malcolm, Willem, and Jude. Although the book follows the group as a whole, there is a prominent focus on Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma that contributes to the deterioration of both his mental and physical health. Because there is a “mysterious aura” to Jude, the only thing that kept me from quitting this book was Jude’s plotline and story. Everytime I felt like putting down the book, Jude’s story somehow captivated my attention to keep me going.  The things that Jude has had experienced throughout his lifetime has led to his personality and development as an adult, which sometimes impairs his judgment and morality. Although he is my favorite character, I found myself hating him for his actions that eventually led to his poor physical state. 

So why did I rate this book a 3.5 / 5? It’s absolutely not the book’s fault!! It’s because ultimately I think that I’m just too young to understand the complexity of this book. There are so many concepts throughout this book that I simply plowed through because I didn’t find importance in them. After I experience adulthood and college, I will most definitely revisit this book, as it has made a huge impact on making me realize topics that I should be more aware about.

Thank you, Mrs. Long