A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

"A Little Life" is a 700 page exposition of the lives of four college friends – Jude, Willem, JB, and Malcolm – as they navigate adulthood in New York City. It explores themes of trauma, its enduring impact, queerness and the complexities of male friendship. 

Insights for Change Makers

The book is a work of character-driven literary fiction that tackles difficult themes like trauma and abuse. It addresses the nuances of friendship, queerness and mental health.

Changemakers can use this as an insightful read to understand the human condition which also investigates the ideas of interpersonal support, resilience and an ongoing search for meaning in the face of suffering.

Reviews and Criticism

This is a heavily critiqued and debated book that has a cult following for its moving prose but also a fair amount of critics who do not appreciate its exploitation of certain themes and graphic, visceral depictions of trauma. Readers should go through the list of trigger warnings attached below before reading. 

Trigger warnings: https://www.booktriggerwarnings.com/A_Little_Life_by_Hanya_Yanagihara

Credits- Goodreads

Also used for reference- Gemini AI

Written by- Hargun Kaur