Sam Strives For 55 - Week 24

Here is week 24 of Sam's reading journey, the metrics and first week can be found here

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara 

1. Intrigue 
2. 1. Only for the literary brave of heart. That’s more of a fun opening line for me than a serious claim, but A Little Life is literary fiction, at some of it’s finest. It’s long. It’s sad. It’s difficult for those who feel empathy for fictional characters. 
   2. It is about a man who has gone through much pain, and continues to go through much pain. Some might say it’s misery porn, but for those who cling to the character and hope for the best, they will be disappointed and fulfilled at the same time. And I don’t know that fiction can do better than that. If you sink into the premise and it takes you for an emotional ride - there’s no better way to tell a story. 
   3. So yes, there is lots of intrigue with this book as you follow Jude and his friends in New York City. It’s a story about life. And in reality this book is a tragedy. So buckle up. 
3. Writing Style:
4. 1. I have little to say other than I could not find fault in the style. Even on a macro level. I was so enthralled with the tale I could stay away from this book for very long because the lives built with Yanagihara’s words were so rich. 
   2. Juicy quote: 
   3. 1. “...things get broken, and sometimes they get repaired, and in most cases, you realize that no matter what gets damaged, life rearranges itself to compensate for your loss, sometimes wonderfully.”
5. Flow of storytelling 
6. 1. At the beginning, as the characters are all introduced there is something of a heist feel. That seems a little unfair, but each character - Jude, Willem, JB and Malcolm - get their own little spot to be recognized. And this feels a bit like let’s introduce the gang, before the story ultimately falls on Jude. And we rest on his shoulders for the journey. Once that occurs, the story flows perfectly, if you’re up for the slower pace of literary novels. 
7. Re-readability 
8. 1. 100% yes for me. The novel is so long and rife with information which I’m sure I missed the first time round. And as I grow and learn more about perspectives other than my own, I’m sure more will make sense to me too. 
9. T.E.S.S.
10. 1. It is rare for a book to rock me so vigorously. In general, I find - and not purposefully either - that my emotions remain constant for most things. Stories whether non-fiction or fiction, don’t really swing me one way or the other. This book hooked me, and though I might true to keep swimming straight, one pull on my cheek and I was at the mercy of the lines Yanagihara wrote. 

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★★★★★ = You must read this. It’s excellent, and even if you don’t love it, you’ll definitely learn something, and you’ll probably like it.

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​J. Sam Williams is an illustrious black-tailed hawk, longing to eat as many vegan mice as possible. In his human form, he is a High School English Teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he lives with his wife, one dog and two cats. A somewhat retired breakdancing teacher, he is now a co-host on the Alohomora Podcast! He has been published on Lunch Ticket, immix: a journal for justice, Mugglenet, and a slew of small sports journalism publications. You can find him on twitter @Jabbernator.