Friday 19 August 2016

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Brilliant, harrowing and insightful: A Little Life is one of those novels that stays with you long after you finish reading it.

Four close college friends graduate and move to New York City to begin their careers: Jude the lawyer, JB the artist, Willem the actor, and Malcolm the architect.

Over several decades, this novel mostly focuses on Jude; loved by all, brilliant, and evasive about his past.
All his friends know is that he was brought up in a monastery, walks with a limp and keeps his body covered.
Information about Jude's traumatic past is drip fed throughout the novel as well as the inner turmoil behind the highly successful lawyer.
A Little Life is a painful read at times, and gives an unsettling picture of the physical and emotional damage caused by an abusive childhood.  It is redeemed by the beautifully drawn characters and friendships, and the tension created as Jude's history is unraveled.  I found myself internally shouting at this character I was so invested in: "get some help - please!"   Don't read this book when you are in a bad emotional space but do read it, it's brilliant.

reviewed by Katrina

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