Book of the Week

A Little Life by Hanya Hanagihara
Recommended by Harry Walker

It's Christmas holiday and I'm on a boat with my family in the Seychelles. Despite taking in the beautiful scenery above or below the water, I find myself with surprisingly little to do. Whilst I didn't predict this, it seems my father did and brought along a collection of 2015's best sellers, one of them being Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life.

I had heard interesting things about this one, but unfortunately not been able to pick it up due to ridiculous amounts of homework and London’s many demanding social engagements. So why not? I now had not a single obligation but to soak up the sun.
The story follows a diverse group of four close friends living in New York - Malcolm, a bi-racial architect who still lives at home and comes from an affluent background; JB, a painter with Haitian parents; Willem, an aspiring actor and Jude St Francis, a young lawyer. At first the narrative discusses all four characters around the same amount, but then unexpectedly delves into Jude’s life and past, creating a protagonist.

Jude's background is unknown to the rest of the group, except for the fact that he’s an orphan, and they all care for and worry about him because of this reclusiveness. He has a habit of cutting himself and there are several long, painful descriptions of his self harming sessions. In a way, Yanagihara uses these to set the tone of different times throughout the novel - the 'better' times seem to be those when Jude cuts himself on fewer occasions. This isn't even half representative of how dark the story gets - it's that depressing. Yet, at the same time, it's a deeply moving and engrossing read. I found myself completely enveloped in the tale, especially wanting to unwrap Jude's horrific past, which is alternated with the everchanging present.

So yes, this book definitely put a few clouds in front of the Seychelles sun, and I can't recommend it as a summer read if you're hoping for happy days on the beach. But if you're looking for an excellent page-turner that will transport you into a world of victimisation and complicated relationships then a A Little Life is for you.