To Paradise

A Novel

By: Hanya Yanagihara

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Catherine Ho, BD Wong, Feodor Chin, Kurt Kanazawa

Length: 28 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • From the award-winning, best-selling author of the classic A Little Life—a bold, brilliant novel spanning three centuries and three different versions of the American experiment, about lovers, family, loss and the elusive promise of utopia.

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: VOGUE • ESQUIRE • NPR • GOODREADS

To Paradise is a fin de siècle novel of marvelous literary effect, but above all it is a work of emotional genius. The great power of this remarkable novel is driven by Yanagihara’s understanding of the aching desire to protect those we love—partners, lovers, children, friends, family, and even our fellow citizens—and the pain that ensues when we cannot.

In an alternate version of 1893 America, New York is part of the Free States, where people may live and love whomever they please (or so it seems). The fragile young scion of a distinguished family resists betrothal to a worthy suitor, drawn to a charming music teacher of no means. In a 1993 Manhattan besieged by the AIDS epidemic, a young Hawaiian man lives with his much older, wealthier partner, hiding his troubled childhood and the fate of his father. And in 2093, in a world riven by plagues and governed by totalitarian rule, a powerful scientist’s damaged granddaughter tries to navigate life without him—and solve the mystery of her husband’s disappearances.

These three sections comprise an ingenious symphony, as recurring notes and themes deepen and enrich one another: A townhouse in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village; illness, and treatments that come at a terrible cost; wealth and squalor; the weak and the strong; race; the definition of family, and of nationhood; the dangerous righteousness of the powerful, and of revolutionaries; the longing to find a place in an earthly paradise, and the gradual realization that it can’t exist. What unites not just the characters, but these Americas, are their reckonings with the qualities that make us human: Fear. Love. Shame. Need. Loneliness.

©2021 Hanya Yanagihara (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S SUMMER READING LIST

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: VOGUE • ESQUIRE • GLAMOUR • NPR • GOODREADS • O MAGAZINE

“Remarkable…The emotional impact of this novel is less visceral than A LITTLE LIFE but only because the author’s scope is so vast and her dexterity so dazzling….TO PARADISE demonstrates the inexhaustible ingenuity of an author who keeps shattering expectations….she explores the dream of freedom that lures all these characters to risk everything for a paradise they desire but can barely envision. No matter the setting – past present or future – TO PARADISE stems from the hypnotic confluence of Yanagihara’s skills. She speaks softly, with the urgency of a whisper. She draws us into the most intimate sympathy with these characters while placing them in crises that feel irresistibly compelling.” — Ron Charles, The Washington Post

“We are given a patriarch, wealth, children; there is an arranged marriage, an inheritance, a true love, a class divide and a significant twist. Deftly paced and judiciously detailed, the tale makes hay with the conventions of the 19th-century novel. But that’s not all. With breathtaking audacity Yanagihara rewrites America….Yanagihara masterfully repurposes themes, situations and motifs…This ambitious novel tackles major American questions and answers them in an original, engrossing way. It has a major feel. But it is finally in [its] minor moments that Yanagihara shows greatness.” — Gish Jen, The New York Times Book Review (cover review)

"Tour de force…Yanagihara changes the novel landscape: What is different, we accept; what is familiar, we recognize. To Paradise resonates because of its exploration of human relationships and the dismantling of preconceived notions. Biases and hatreds lurk and linger, emerging periodically to remind us that while one form of discrimination may have been eliminated, others remain embedded in our institutions, and cannot easily be eradicated; in the end, threads of prejudice bind all three parts. And yet To Paradise is rich with characters that live and love, with few boundaries. Yanagihara asks us to consider an alternative America that could have existed at any point in history if other decisions had been made, and that might still prevail if we do the right thing." — Oprah Daily

Really hard listen, but so thought provoking.

This book really challenged me, but also broke me open and made me see many things from different perspective. I probably would not have read if I knew it was going to touch on the issue of pandemics, but glad I did because it made me open my mind in a way I doubt I would if I were discussing with another person with strongly held beliefs.

to Paradise

this woman knows how to write!. dystopian tail about a grandchild who makes it into a safe place.

Masterpiece

This is a complex story weaving together disparate, yet connected narratives of an escalating, collective unraveling. The characters are rich, the writing is very smart. Yanagihara is a gifted in her ability to suck you deeply into the inner lives of so many characters. You’re left with many questions. This book will be in my head for a long time.

soo many Charlies, Edwards and Davids

Started out interesting but too long to keep interest throughout; confusion used to convey several underlying themes of the book

Brilliant in every way

This is an amazing piece of writing. I think this author is one of the brightest lights in contemporary literature. This epistolary form is unique and compelling. Loved it.

Beautiful and thought provoking

This book was very different from anything I’ve ever read. It’s a book I will think about for a long time and will certainly listen to again. The narration was perfect.

A Historical Fiction of the Future

There was an excellent use of vocabulary sprinkled in with accessible dialogue for a comfortable read. The story has challenging themes of personal relations that enlarged my perspectives.

Be prepared for a long read but a worthwhile one.

Brace yourself for Paradise!

This is a brilliant, absorbing, astonishing, soul wrenching ride through a universe as real as it is imaginary… relentlessly depressing, yet I couldn’t stop until it was done. Now I’m buzzing with desire to talk to other people who’ve read it.

Exceptional story telling

This text is one of Yanagihara’s best; it is organized so that each chapter is written from a different character’s perspective, during a different period of time. Yanagihara masterfully braids the chapters/storylines together, which builds to the slow unfolding of the broader plot. The text is
set against the backdrop of a dystopian future that is eerily within reach. The prose is sophisticated and lyrical, and at times, even poetic, and the characters are nuanced and relatable.

Good and different Book!!!

Even though this isn’t the type of book I usually read. I really enjoyed the book. The author truly understands human emotions and government workings. I’m going to listen to this book again and also read the physical book!!!