Review: “To Paradise” by Hanya Yanagihara

Hanya Yanagihara’s latest novel “To Paradise”, released Jan. 11, 2022, is split into three parts: each a distinct story of its own. The stories all have intersecting themes and plot devices.  Spanning 300 years and multiple realities, the epic is Yanagihara’s third book.

Part one: “Washington Square”  

In part one, set in 1893, wealthy aristocrat David Bingham meets mysterious piano teacher Edward and their relationship entirely consumes David’s life, conflicting with his arranged marriage to an older man. 

Yanagihara’s writing elevates this mediocre storyline to new heights. I was most impressed with the way she portrays the ostentatiously wealthy Binghams and their compatriots, especially David’s vapid condescension. I oftentimes found myself recoiling in disgust at something his words and thoughts, such as the casual disdain with which he treats black people. 

Part two: “Lipo – Wao – Nahele”

The first half of part two follows a different David Bingham in 1993 New York as he navigates his relationship with another older man.  The worst problem in this part is the inherently predatory relationship between David and his partner. David ponders their relationship for brief moments, but the creepy nature of the relationship is never adequately explored.

The second half of “Lipo – Wao – Nahele” is about David’s father Kiwika, a member of the Hawaiian royal family. It explores his dealings with the Hawaiian independence movement.     Yanagihara portrays the efforts of the activists as childish and stupid, not worthy of anything but laughter and ridicule. Otherwise, this was an enjoyable section, due to the compelling stories in both parts. 

Part three: “Zone 8”

Almost half of the book is set in 2093 with two interconnected narratives weaving throughout the section. In one of them, a woman navigates a dystopian America under a fascist dictatorship and suffering endless pandemics. The second narrative is composed of letters from Charles, the woman’s grandfather, to his friend in London. This section excels at creating a realistic dystopia. The cooling suits needed to go outside, and decontamination chambers and authoritarian government seem not only plausible but inevitable. It feels like a snapshot of life in future America. This uneasy atmosphere pervades as characters traverse a world not so different from ours.

This section’s greatest sin is its pacing. The narrative goes from a slow, creeping story to a thriller in the last 20 pages, jolting the reader awake from an almost stagnant tale. The story is not boring up to that point though, as many reviews have suggested. I was entertained the entire time, save a few paragraphs that drag on too long. This section offered a story of what could be.

In “To Paradise” Yanagihara writes social commentary, tackling important issues such as racism and the complacency of oppressing factions. Her problem is simply that she is not very good at it. She treats the Hawaiian independence movement like a stupid group of children, her characters say racist things out of nowhere and she includes fatphobia where it is completely unnecessary. But perhaps her biggest offense is her fixation, almost obsession, with gay men.

All of Yanagihara’s three books have a gay male protagonist in some shape or form. This is not a problem in itself, but these men are rarely portrayed as human beings. In “A Little Life,” the main character was sexually abused as a child. In “In The People in the Trees’ ‘ the main character is a pedophile. This trend continues in “To Paradise,” with two of its three gay men engaged in unhealthy relationships. These characters exist in real life too, but when an author writes again and again about certain stereotypes, it turns from realistic to obsessive and damaging. I rate “To Paradise” three out of five.