Book reviews
Hi everybody, I’m starting this new blog about every book I’m reading this year and my views on it . The first book of the year:
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
I normally never read any book over 500 pages in length, and that’s stretching it. So I’d been avoiding A Little Life which goes up to 814 pages, but because my book club chose it as our next read— well, there you are.
The story is about four college friends and their lives for the next three or so decades, but the focus is mainly on two, Jude and Willem. Especially Jude, the main character, who’s been sexually abused as a child.
This book is not your typical novel and breaks quite a few rules. For one, there’s a lot of tell; two, there are no filters regarding some of the more sordid scenes, and three- it’s darned length! Novels have to be around 80-100,00 words long to keep the reader’s interest from flagging, we are told. But this one kept me hooked for all 814 pages and I stayed up until 5 am to finish it!
What was it about this novel that made it so gut- wrenchingly unputdownable? ( I hate using that word as it’s got such a commercial zing to it, but can’t think of any other). Well, here we go.
The subject matter of child sexual abuse was dealt with honestly. It’s horrifyiong, but it’s true. Such things do happen. The author’s use of the third person close POV enabled her to go right into the heart and soul of the character. Her writing was without any kind of judgement or sentimentality. And she was not afraid of writing about feelings and emotions. I think emotions are such a large part of our lives and many authors don’t want to appear sentimental and maudlin so merely skim over these issues. But not this author.
Published 10 years ago to critical acclaim, the book has valuable lessons for all of is. And it shows us life can be beautiful.
Padmini Sankar Author 