Review of “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara
A Novel Filled with Misfortunes That Creates an Endless Cycle of Suffering
When A Little Life first appeared on bookstore shelves, I was not inclined to buy it. However, after some time, spurred by the fact that many readers had expressed conflicting opinions about it, I decided to get a copy.
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is a novel that has provoked mixed reactions, praised for its ability to move readers but also criticized for the excess of misfortunes that befall the protagonist, Jude.
This book tells the story of Jude and his friends, following their lives from youth to adulthood. However, it is precisely the sheer number of tragedies that afflict Jude that becomes problematic and, at times, unbelievable. The novel stands out for its writing, which can sensitively and deeply portray the psychological torment of the characters. Yanagihara explores complex themes such as abuse, trauma, friendship, and love with meticulous, sometimes overly meticulous, attention.
The characters are detailed and realistic, and their relationships are described with such emotional intensity that the bond between them feels almost tangible. However, Yanagihara seems to have overdone it in delineating Jude’s life, piling up a series of dramatic events that, over time, become almost surreal. Sexual abuse, violence, abandonment, illnesses: every possible misfortune befalls the protagonist with such insistence that the story becomes excessively melodramatic and unrealistic.
This overabundance of misfortunes has a paradoxical effect: instead of evoking empathy and reflection — bringing the reader closer to the protagonist and encouraging them to continue reading — it risks alienating the reader, leading them to doubt the verisimilitude of the events. The constant succession of misfortunes here seems forced, almost a caricature of real pain. This way, the novel diminishes the real difficulties and tragedies that many people face, turning everything into an exercise in narrative sadism. Furthermore, there is no need to embellish the story with a series of improbable events that follow one another without pause.
One of the most critical aspects of the novel is the portrayal of Jude as a character trapped in an endless cycle of suffering with no possibility of redemption or healing. Even when he seems to find a moment of peace or happiness, it is soon shattered by another tragedy. This approach not only makes reading exhausting but also risks conveying a nihilistic and hopeless message about the human condition. Jude’s life is an endless downward spiral, an abyss of pain that leaves no room for hope or the possibility of redemption.
Yanagihara’s intent to show how adversities can profoundly shape the human soul is evident. However, the message that seems to emerge from A Little Life is that only through an endless series of tragedies can a person be truly changed and defined. This is not only a debatable concept but also a harmful one, as it ignores the many nuances of human resilience and personal growth that can come from less extreme experiences. The ability to overcome difficulties, to find inner strength to move forward, is not exclusive to those who have lived through the worst tragedies. Resilience here is absent, and the smaller tragedies, the minor misfortunes, seem to have no importance, almost as if they were incapable of bringing about change in the protagonist who experiences them.
Moreover, the depiction of human relationships in the novel, although intense and deeply emotional, also suffers from the excess of tragedy that pervades the narrative. Jude’s friendships and loves are often tested in extreme ways, making it difficult for the reader to identify with the described dynamics. The friendship among the four protagonists, which should be an anchor of hope and support, also becomes imbued with an almost unbearable pain.
In summary, A Little Life is a novel that, despite its intense emotional charge and engaging writing, is excessive in portraying the protagonist’s misfortunes. This exaggeration compromises the story’s credibility and diminishes its potential emotional impact, conveying a distorted message about how adversities affect people’s lives. Yanagihara succeeds in creating a vivid and painful portrait of human suffering, but in doing so, risks losing sight of the complexity and varied nature of resilience and the human ability to find hope even in the most difficult circumstances. A Little Life is a work that certainly does not leave one indifferent. Still, its extreme vision of life’s tragedies makes it a portrait too bleak and devoid of hope, distancing the reader from the reality of everyday human experiences.
