Hanya Yanagihara’s novel, “A Little Life,” has garnered acclaim not only among internet communities like BookTok but also resonated deeply with Gen Z readers. Beyond the digital sphere, the book was a finalist for the National Book Award. However, it is intriguing to consider why this book has gained such popularity despite its minimal character development and plot progression.
The novel “A Little Life” primarily focuses on the character Jude, whose troubled past continues to affect him in his later years. The narrative shifts between different periods of time, allowing readers to understand Jude’s harrowing experiences, which include being molested by a priest at the orphanage where he grew up and being physically abused by an ex-boyfriend as an adult. Despite the seemingly depressing subject matter, the book is surprisingly not somber in tone.
Regardless of his deep struggles with depression and self-inflicted wounds, Jude possesses an impressive ability to dominate the courtroom as a lawyer and maintains numerous close friendships, one of whom is Willem, a pivotal figure in his life.
Yanagihara’s approximately 800-page narrative primarily focuses on Jude’s health issues rather than emphasizing the longstanding friendship between the four men who met as undergraduates. What transpires in Jude’s life is a series of harrowing, life-altering events. Instead of exploring character growth and the shared hardships faced by all four characters, we are presented with scenes of self-harm, debilitating illnesses contracted from his abuser, amputation of his legs, multiple suicide attempts, and ultimately, his death by suicide.
In the upcoming section, I was planning to outline the narrative, but the reality is, there isn’t one in the novel A Little Life. Instead, the author focuses on subjecting the characters to intense suffering. Characters such as Malcolm and JB, who appear to have significant roles in the story, are sidelined despite their potential to enrich the plot with unique and captivating elements. For instance, JB struggles with methamphetamine addiction, a issue that is barely addressed. Similarly, Malcolm, another one-dimensional character, attends college with Jude and Willem, becomes an architect, and grapples with his father’s high expectations and pressure. Unfortunately, the author fails to explore these potentially engaging storylines fully.
The novel “A Little Life” isn’t a tale of triumph or resilience; rather, it’s a prolonged narrative of cruelty towards the protagonist, Jude. Despite enduring immense suffering throughout the book, including the tragic loss of his lover Willem who was killed by a drunk driver, Jude ultimately takes his own life. Some critics have compared Yanagihara’s writing style to Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy or even find it excessively cruel towards her characters. The recurring themes in her works lead one to question why she consistently explores such somber subjects and, more bluntly, what drives her to write about these topics?
After concluding the book, I found myself astonished, remarking internally, “I can’t believe I read that!” The entire book was hard to swallow, from the way the men communicated with each other, which seemed more characteristic of millennials rather than men nearing their fifties, to its overall content. There are numerous queer books available that are rich in plot and character development, devoid of excessive drama. For instance, the queer murder-mystery series, Beachhouse Studios, by C.W. Rogers or Old Enough by Haley Jakobsen for relatable female characters in queer fiction. Incidentally, A Little Life had the opportunity to balance multiple storylines while offering hope to readers who may have experienced similar struggles as Jude. However, by having Jude inflict such harm upon himself, Yanagihara seems to perpetuate the misconception that trauma cannot be overcome, which is categorically untrue.
I found “A Little Life” underwhelming, considering all the acclaim it received. In my opinion, Yanagihara shies away from demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity, as both an author and a public figure. Perhaps her future works will feature more optimistic characters, but until I’m convinced, I’ll be exploring other authors instead.
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2025-06-09 19:44