The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is what literature is all about. This is what narrative is all about. I am at a loss for words. Hanya Yanagihara is an impossibly talented writer and this is an impossibly weighty, old-school, Russian-masters novel.

I will say no more. The plot device in this book is impeccable, but so delicate, that I can spoil the experience for other readers if I’m not careful. And I don’t feel careful. Suffice it to say that Yanagihara’s masterful description, atmosphere, haunting prose, island of Ivu’ivu, and characters will be with me for a long time.

Many brilliant passages (entire pages, even) became lodged in my memory as I read on… Many. Read more →