In A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, the reader follows former college roommates JB,
Malcolm, Willem, and Jude. Though at the beginning of the book broke and young, they each
aspire to greatness, whether that’s as a movie star or a respected lawyer. Hoping their
friendships stay strong, they set off on personal journeys featuring addiction, depression, fame,
success, and jealousy. Though after growing up more, most of the group achieves their goals
and figures out their issues, Jude remains as broken as ever and continually falls into various
sequences of tragic events. Willem, along with Jude’s adoptive family, try to pull him out of the
holes he gets into, but it’s unclear if Jude will ever overcome his past or become truly happy and
content with his life.
I would place this book in the top three of all the books I’ve ever read. The writing
communicates complicated concepts and beautifully though tragically brings everything to life.
The story and backstory, while not the most complicated ever, are slowly revealed in a really
interesting way that kept me completely hooked (and constantly upset). Though this isn’t exactly
an enjoyable book, just because of how sad everything is, it feels like a necessary read because
of the topics it covers and the quality of the writing and story. Every book I’ve read since
finishing it has felt mediocre in comparison, and I was left thinking about different lines and parts
of the story for weeks after. Anyone who reads it should definitely look at the trigger warnings
first, and it’s probably not the best fit for a younger audience. Other than that, I would 100%
recommend this to anyone and I give it five stars.