To Paradise

A Novel

By: Hanya Yanagihara

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

#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

Brilliant, unforgettable!

I did not think anything could outdo A Little Life.
To Paradise was at least it’s equal if not surpassing it.
The story, the characters, the use of language were so beautiful .
The narrators did each character justice. They were perfectly selected and performed to meet anyones highest expectations.
A tour de force!
Bravo!

Bleak future

I rather enjoyed this book although extremely pessimistic view of our future. As previously stated the Hawaii section is the weakest link. I had also hoped the earlier characters would develop a bit more later but they disappeared. I would recommend.

Very timely chilling book

Another winner from this phenomenal writer, very moving especially the character of Little Cat. It is confusing as all the characters have the same name, end leaves you hanging but overall thought was very good.

👏 amazing 👏

Three beautiful, thought-provoking stories. I didn't want it to end. A great exploration on what could have been and what might be.

Unresolved stories

This book had beautiful prose but was extremely unsatisfying. I do t know what has become of any of the characters. Book one and book 3 were the best. I just wish we knew what happened. BD Wong was amazing as a narrator. He made book 3 worth listening to. There was so much dissonance though between his and Catherine Ho’s versions of Charli that it bugged me. Gathering Ho made Charli sound whiny not monotone and affectless.

slow at points but worth it

at points i thought that it was really boring and u wouldn’t finish. but i was so glad i stuck with it

mixed bag

the production was incredible, but the story was lacking. Just read the last third, imo

Unstoppable

I just finished A Little Life and immediately came here for more from Hanya. Did not disappoint and the way the story lines are stitched together is unbelievable. Will recommend to everyone.

a masterpiece

An exquisitely written, convoluted book. It will surely enter the canon of American literature.

Absolutely extraordinary

Breathtaking, sweeping, layered and rich tapestry of lives. This is the second book of Hanya Yanagihara’s I’ve listened to and they both kept me spellbound.