Books like ‘A Little Life’
After finishing Hanya Yanagihara’s 700-page epic, I got to wondering what to read after ‘A little life’? I found it completely immersive, heartbreaking, engrossing, and incredibly detailed. There is a lot of pain within the pages, but this for me is counterbalanced by the fact there’s plenty of love in there too, and it is particularly memorable in what it has to say about the power of friendship to heal.
I believe it to be a unique reading experience, unlike anything I have read in quite some time. But I have read other books where there is some overlap of qualities and themes, and I have a few suggestions below. They may not fill the ‘A Little life’ shaped hole in your life, (and maybe nothing ever will) but here are some suggestions that might help until you decide it’s time for a re-read and to have your heart broken all over again by Jude St. Francis.
Donna Tartt - The Goldfinch
One of the authors that immediately sprang to mind whilst reading Yanagihara’s debut novel was Donna Tartt. The main similarity is that her books are also completely immersive - you know you are reading a Donna Tartt book, as her prose has a distinctive, lyrical, meandering but accessible style. Beautifully detailed, like a painting, and creates a distinctive mood.
I’ve read everything by Donna Tartt, but the one I’m going to recommend here is ‘The Goldfinch.' It’s the story of Theo Decker, who after a tragedy that kills his mother, is abandoned by his father and left with the family of a wealthy friend. Grief-stricken over his mother and dealing with unresolved trauma (sound like anyone else?) Theo’s coming-of-age story also deals with addiction, self-discovery and resilience.
Large parts of it are also set in New York, and it also clocks in at over 800 pages, so plenty of time to be immersed. It’s a book that contains multitudes, is also a meditation on the purpose of art, and is about living with grief, regret, and anxiety.
It’s also intense, at times dark, and full of life. Oh so full of life. It’s descriptions are wonderfully vivid, the prose rich, and sentences you’ll want to linger over. I love how incredibly detailed it is, and it’s an easy first choice in this list of books like ‘a little life’ because it’s a wonderful reading experience.
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart
Rather than go for the award-winning 'Shuggie Bain' I’ve gone for the equally impressive follow-up by Douglas Stuart, ‘Young Mungo.' It’s the story of a pair of young boys, Mungo and James, who fall in love amidst working-class Glasgow tenements. They dream of escape but have to hide their relationship from those around them, including Mungo’s gang leader brother Hamish.
Again, this is a world that is intricately described with great lyricism and wonderfully evocative prose, especially the dialogue. It’s a place that feels authentic, tender, and raw.
There is violence here too, often harrowing, so that is an obvious similarity. It’s also about proving yourself in the world against the odds, about living with fear and being saved by love. It’s a book that will certainly challenge you at times.
Be warned - if your heart is still broken from 'a little life,' might want to leave this for a while. But this book is another completely immersive reading experience.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Demon is born into poverty to a teenage single mother in a trailer in West Virginia. Orphaned at eleven, he faces the care system, foster homes, child labor, and the perils of life on the road. This is a gritty, coming-of-age story that will twist and turn your emotions every which way.
It’s told in the first person so is a little different in terms of narrative perspective but the writing is also vivid and features memorable characters throughout. I found this to be a completely absorbing read, with the writing simply flowing across the pages, and there were many times when I got completely lost in the sweep of the narrative.
I’ve included ‘Demon Copperhead’ in my list of books like 'a little life’ because as well as featuring addiction, loss, and abuse, it's about resilience and overcoming early hardships to find love and have a fulfilling career. It also visits some dark and disturbing places, especially about the opioid epidemic, and at a lengthy 546 pages, you’ve plenty of time to have your heart broken again.
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
This book is the story of five indigenous first nation children who are torn away from their families, leaving them to face the cruelties of the Canadian residential care system of the 1960s. The book follows them as they try to rebuild their lives, with varying degrees of success.
This probably won’t seem like an obvious choice for this list but it’s a book about survivors, which is why it has parallels with ‘A little life’ and Jude St. Francis. It’s about coping mechanisms, some of which work and some of which are dysfunctional and consume the characters as they try to process trauma and grief. There are many dark corners in this book, that include abuse and suicide.
The book is not similar in terms of style - it’s written for young adults, and the prose is much simpler and more matter-of-fact. It doesn't contain as much detail or vivid description. But it’s a story well told, an emotional read that will stay with you. At times it’s difficult, but it will also highlight the importance of our relationships with our friends and kin, and how that love and support can sustain us.
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
I’ve read and enjoyed John Boyne's recent work ‘All the broken places’ but I went with a book from a few years ago. 'The Hearts invisible furies' is the story of Cyril Avery, born out of wedlock to a teenage mother in 1940s Ireland. He’s adopted by a well-to-do Irish couple but feels adrift in the world. The story of his search for a home and identity is told parallel to that of Ireland and the changes it undergoes up until the present day.
It joins my list of books to read after ‘a little life’ because again, it’s about a survivor, about missing mothers, and how the love and support of adopted family, friends and lovers, can help us to endure. A lifelong friendship with Julian Woodbead is an important part of the book, as is the history of LGBT rights in Ireland. New York also features, this time in the 1980s and it's also a lengthy 582 pages, giving you plenty of time to get acquainted with Cyril over his life.
Where it differs from 'A little life' is that there is a rich seam of humour that runs through it, but it is another emotional read, with a nice mixture of sadness and joy - bittersweet is the word I’m looking for. Boyne excels in just writing a damn good story, and this is another page-turner.
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The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
This story starts in Germany in 1939 and features a young girl called Liesel, who discovers the power of words and begins to steal books and survives by retreating into the world of her imagination.
The first book that nine-year-old Liesel steals is from the graveside of her brother, and it helps her cope with trauma and loss, becoming an anchor in her life. She is nurtured by her loving foster father Hans and is best friends with Rudy, a local neighbour boy, and Max, who lives secretly in the basement. She finds comfort in her friends, her adopted family, and her books.
The writing itself is lyrical and haunting, set in such a vivid landscape. There’s such richness in the descriptions and a sort of liveliness on the pages (who would have thought death to have a sense of humour?) And yes, if it’s poignancy and heartbreak that you seek, you have certainly come to the right place with this book. But like 'a little life,' there is also humanity at its best here, this time in the most extreme of circumstances. Liesel is a character for whom you will feel huge amounts of empathy.
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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
I’ve included ‘Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow’ for a couple of different reasons. Firstly, it explores the nature of a changing friendship over the decades, between game developers Sadie and Sam. It charts the creative dynamism between the two, as well as the conflict that arises and the bonds they share. Like ‘A little life’ it gets complicated.
The other similarity is that through the character of Sam we explore how a person copes with disability and trauma. Sam doesn’t want to be defined by his injuries, and though he hides them at first, he eventually learns how to live with them. Both Sam and Sadie also have to deal with grief in their lives.
It might not be as detailed or graphic as ‘A little life’ but what is? However this is a thoughtful and moving book, that talks about video games as a method of connecting, of the intimacy we share whilst sharing and playing.
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So there you have it. Those are books like ‘a little life’ that I have read and that I think are deserving of your time. Perhaps if you’ve just read Hanya Yanagihara’s masterpiece, and are still reeling, you best leave it for a week or two. But part of the joy of books is they open up our emotions, they make us feel alive, and these books will certainly do that.
Happy (sad) reading and please let me know if you have read any and any more suggestions I can add to the list.