A Little Life

This has to be one of the most challenging books I've ever read. This is definitely not going to be everybody's cup of tea, and if you know a whiff of what this is about, then you'll know if you have the emotional stamina to withstand its narrative trials. I went to this with my eyes wide-open about it's potential triggering substance but also not fully aware of the encompassing nature and the jumps in time and perspective. I knew I'd enjoy this book for the same reason I enjoyed the last few literary contemporary novels, they follow a slice-of-life portrayal that allows the reader to get an in-depth look into the characters' background, mentality, and all the general life experiences that developed who they are. I find myself more and more riveted by books that are more a character-study than an actual story.

Speaking of characters, this book was overflowing with personalities and interpersonal relationships that began throughout various stages in each main character's (the main four friends) adult life, from college to just beyond mid-life. Jude's history, in particular, and his friends' reactions to Jude's coping behavior are the main focus of this book. The author slowly reveals everything about Jude's past that shape who he is as an adult and the characters around him only really get to see what he decides to show them. That was my biggest–and only–problem with the book: Jude didn't communicate effectively (which is honestly to be expected) but while I can't fault his friends' logic and hesitancy to push for more open communication and therapy early-on in the book, I really wish they had.

Overall, when it came to the characters, Willem and Harold were obviously my favorite. It's hard for them not to be everyone's favorite. Andy is definitely a close second, and if he had more screen time, he probably would have tied for first as well. It's the relationship that these characters have, not only with Jude (though that does provide the biggest piece of evidence) but with all the other characters that illustrates so deeply and sincerely their compassion for others and their unyielding love for themselves and others.

I love the writing, it's one of the best I've ever come across; not for its use of language necessarily, but how it's stream of consciousness is constructed and presented. When I initially started this book, it was immediately apparent that I wouldn't be able to read more than a small chunk (50 pages at most) of it at a time; however, once I reached the half-way mark, it picked up the pace. It's long-winded but in the best way.

The stream of consciousness in this book is almost better than what I would expect, to the point that I'm sure there might be a better descriptor of the writing style. But stream of consciousness for the most part encapsulates the narrative perfectly. The reason I think there might be a better descriptor is because the multiple character POV passages flip back and forth in time, and their perspectives are sometimes reflecting on the past. This reflection and introspection provided an insightful view of their lives and the impacts of the relationships they developed over the span of years with the other characters. I enjoyed getting a full picture of certain events but the story was not superfluous in the slightest. The one caveat I would say to that is the actual writing itself is something I had to get used to and called for many breaks while reading. Its run-on style did not allow for the reader to come to a natural stopping point.

I could not in good conscious recommend this to everybody, but if you've made it through the synopsis and my review of this and think this might sound like something you'd pick up, then I say go for it. You won't regret it.