It’s been over a week since I finished A Little Life, stunning novel by Hanya Yanagihara. Despite the craziness and busyness of life, I’ve still been thinking about the characters she created. The world that was so real and so tangible that by simply reading the last words on page 720 didn’t feel as if it was over. Or maybe it was because I didn’t want it to be over. I wanted to see the characters through the rest of their lives, and make sure that everything comes out ok. Although the intention of the novel is far darker as it reveals the complexity of humanity, friendship and trauma. Since I couldn’t give a review much justice (check out this review from the New Yorker for that), I just wanted to jot down my thoughts about why this book resonated so much with me and why I’ll probably never forget it.
- The characters are so real it feels as if you know them. You might even dream about them.
- I cried during multiple parts, and when thinking about what one character endured I cried again.
- Your past can define your present and haunt you, despite how strong you may be.
- You may never truly understand everything all of your friends have been through in life.
- Success is not happiness.
- Some people are truly evil.
- The power of who you will be in unknown, even to yourself.
- Sometimes the scars from childhood can’t be healed.
- There is a power in friendship to help us heal.
There are so many more incredible aspects of A Little Life that I continue to grasp onto. An incredible read for the spring or the summer, but be prepared to be shaken in the best (and worst) possible way.
