A Little Life

A Little Life

By: Hanya Yanagihara

Rating: 5/5

Note:

I struggled with this book twice: once while reading and again while writing this review. It took me almost two years to finish. Returning to it was emotionally exhausting. This book is not for everyone. 

TRIGGER WARNINGS:

Ableism (violent), child abandonment, child abuse, child death, child molestation, child rape, drug abuse, domestic violence/abuse, eating disorder, emotional abuse, gaslighting, grooming, lesbophobia, manipulation, paedophilia, physical abuse, prostitution, racism, rape, self-harm, sexual abuse, sexual assault, suicide ideation, suicide, transphobia (misgendering).

Main Characters:

• Jude: The protagonist. A successful lawyer who suffers from chronic pain in his back and leg.

• Willem: A successful actor and the closest person to Jude.

• Malcolm: A successful engineer from a wealthy biracial family. He struggles with uncertainty about his life.

• JB: From Haiti, a Bahamian artist.

• Dr Andy: Jude’s doctor, who treats his serious leg and back pain, is also a close friend of Jude.

• Harold & Julia: Harold is Jude’s law school professor, and Julia is his wife. They later officially adopt Jude as an adult, making him part of their family.

Review:

A beautifully written novel filled with pain and grief, giving a deep exploration of personality and a psychological and sociological study of each character’s background. The novel’s brilliant use of the flashback technique makes it a real page-turner, drawing the reader deeper into the character’s emotional journey.

This story centers on male friendship, following four best friends sharing an apartment in New York City from college into their 50s. All of them are connected to Jude in different ways, and each relationship shapes who he becomes. It follows his life from birth to his rise as a successful lawyer, gradually revealing how his past shapes his present. The novel not only highlights Jude’s pain but also indirectly reflects experiences that many of us can relate to. This becomes clear through Jude’s complex and mysterious life, both during law school and later in his career.

As the story goes back to Jude’s childhood, we slowly begin to understand the reasons behind many of his behaviours and struggles. The physical, psychological, and sexual abuse he experiences deeply affects both his mental and physical health.

It connects childhood trauma with adult reactions, showing how many conscious and unconscious behaviours in adulthood are often shaped by painful early experiences. If these traumas are not properly addressed and healed, they may escalate into more serious behavioural issues that can harm the individual and, in some cases, even affect society. 

Also, it explores Jude’s tendency to blame himself for things he is not responsible for, or even for things that seem to have occurred without his control. These include panic attacks, self-harm, low self-esteem, and self-sabotaging behaviours.

• This raises an important question: Is it true that childhood trauma becomes a permanent part of who we are? And do we ever truly heal from childhood trauma?

• It also leads to another serious question: can psychiatric and psychological therapy help heal such trauma? And are individuals who have been deeply harmed willing to engage in therapy and trust the process? If so, does therapy actually succeed?

The novel also highlights the role of Jude’s friends and which of them has the most influence on his life. In most of our journeys, friends’ support is essential, it is important to have at least one friend who can understand and trust you without judgment. “Friends are the family we choose.”

Another theme that appears in the novel is the controversial definition of success. Success means different things to different people. It is not only about career or achievements... etc, but can also mean having peace of mind and emotional stability. In this sense, being mentally stable can itself be considered a form of success. Jude appears successful on the outside while silently struggling on the inside. The emotional ‘mask’ Jude wears around other people. 

• Does this mask ever fall with anyone, anywhere?

• Does he behave the same way when he is alone?

• How does he manage to balance his professional life with his personal life? 

This narrative structure raises an important question about whether balance in life is necessary to achieve true well-being. 

In other words, Jude is pictured as a handsome, successful lawyer surrounded by many friends and people who love him, yet deep inside, he is often lonely and isolated.

The novel also explores Jude’s experience with love, and how it can either heal us or destroy us. “Love is love. No further explanation is needed.”

Yet the novel also asks difficult questions about the relationship between love, trauma, and abuse in relationships. An important part of the novel is Jude's relationship with Caleb. 

• Could it be considered an abusive relationship?

• Can it be linked to his past relationship with Dr Taylor during his earlier life, which was a painful and disturbing chapter in his journey?

In the end, the novel leaves the reader with a powerful reflection: no one can fully understand the pain you are going through, because everyone is dealing with their own struggles. Life is hard, and people often make it even harder.

We may all carry a hidden Jude within us :’)

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara