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To Paradise
- Narrated by: BD Wong, Catherine Ho, Edoardo Ballerini, Feodor Chin, Kurt Kanazawa
- Length: 28 hrs and 46 mins
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To Paradise
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Summary
The number one Sunday Times best seller and one of Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of 2022
From Hanya Yanagihara, author of the modern classic A Little Life, To Paradise is 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.
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 are joined in an enthralling and 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.
To Paradise is a fin-de-siecle novel of marvellous literary effect, but above all it is a work of emotional genius. The power of this 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.
Critic reviews
"A future classic.... For those captivated by Yanagihara’s A Little Life, her next is equally gripping.... Ultimately, it asks the question: is love really all we need?" (Telegraph)
"To Paradise becomes unputdownable.... Amidst the worst travails and political pressures, the primacy of human bonds is irreducible, a truth that lies at the heart of this frightening and very beautiful novel." (Literary Review)
"To Paradise is a transcendent, visionary novel of stunning scope and depth. A novel so layered, so rich, so relevant, so full of the joys and terrors—the pure mystery - of human life, is not only rare, it’s revolutionary." (Michael Cunningham)
"After the painfully affecting [A Little Life] To Paradise gives us three stories far apart in space and time but each unique in their power to summon the joy and complexity of love, the pain of loss. I’m not sure I’ve ever missed the world of a book as much as I miss To Paradise now I’ve left it.... It’s rare that you get the opportunity to review a masterpiece, but To Paradise, definitively, is one." (Observer)
"Awe-inspiring.... The characters are so well drawn and the plot so well paced, I couldn’t put it down." (Daily Telegraph)
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What listeners say about To Paradise
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- David F.
- 05-02-22
Loved it
Simply stunning. Great story and performances. Scary, dystopian but also hopeful and life affirming. Amazing
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- james walker
- 21-04-22
Half way to Paradise
Yanagihara knows how to build her story world. I was mesmerised throughout and couldn't wait to get back to this each night. Paradise means different things to us all and so she unravels issues around identity, love, grief, heritage, and health across centuries. Society may change but the fundamental human needs remain consistent.
Some readers may find the grim realism of climate change and epidemics a bit too much - so rich and persuasive is her writing - likewise, I found the repetition of character names a bit confusing and felt like I was making links where there might not have been any, but despite this, it's an incredible book that will leave you bruised and better for having read it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anne Gaillot
- 01-03-23
Beautiful and heartbreaking
Such a nuanced naration. A bit long at first but captivating after that. Stick with it for a engaging read !
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- PJJ1967
- 14-04-23
Far too long detailing “he said, she said”.
Decades spanning histories and paradigmatic shifts, yet we are but a puff of wind and God help those of us who wield or have no power. A parable for the times, and a narrative of choice, for those who have power, money and forewarning.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Helen
- 24-02-23
Disconcerting
Having been awed by Little Lufe I was keen to read To Paradise. I was not disappointed. In the first part I relaxed thinking I knew where and when we were and then suddenly “we’re not in Kansas any more”!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Jennifer
- 03-09-22
3.5 overall Interesting but not enthralling
Some wonderful insights and sensitively drawn emotional portraits. But story itself was always a second thought here.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- V
- 06-08-22
Breathtaking, topical, beautifully read.
Loved this book. The narrators were excellent. Thought provoking stories, loved the way the characters names were carried through.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Bobby Redmond
- 12-03-23
Nice book in some ways but hated the last section and found it too long
Nice book in some ways but hated the last section and found it too long.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 11-05-22
Amazing
I had read mixed reviews but can absolutely 100% recommend this . Beautifully written and narrated.
I will go back and listen again … didn’t want it to end .
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matt Belcher
- 08-03-22
A modern epic
What an incredible trilogy. Such emotion and literary range - at times I felt like I could be reading Henry James, Margaret Atwood, Ishiguro or Orwell or all simultaneously. Such rich and broad depictions of love, family, society and humanity, this is a stone cold classic and already one of my favourite reads ever.
Not usually a fan of multiple voice actors for one book but this audiobook was also done fabulously.
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