To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara Summary

To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara is an ambitious 708-page novel divided into three interconnected stories set in New York at the end of three different centuries: 1893, 1993, and 2093. Each section reimagines America through alternate histories and dystopian futures, exploring how characters navigate love, family, illness, and the search for belonging. The three books share recurring character names, a Washington Square townhouse, and themes of longing for paradise that ultimately prove illusory.

To Paradise is ideal for readers who appreciate ambitious literary fiction, sweeping multi-generational narratives, and complex explorations of American identity. Fans of Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life will recognize her emotionally intense prose, while those interested in alternate histories, LGBTQ+ narratives, and speculative dystopian fiction will find the book's scope compelling. Readers should be prepared for a substantial time investment and themes involving illness, trauma, and power dynamics in relationships.

To Paradise is worth reading for those who appreciate Yanagihara's ambitious, emotionally rich prose and are willing to invest in a lengthy, complex narrative. The novel excels in its reimagining of American history and its nuanced exploration of love, duty, and protection. However, readers should note that reception varies by section—many reviewers found the 1893 opening most compelling, while the dystopian 2093 conclusion proved more divisive. The book's emotional depth and thematic complexity reward patient readers.

To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara is 708 pages long, making it a substantial literary undertaking. The novel is divided into three distinct books of varying lengths, with the first section comprising roughly 25% of the total page count. Released in January 2022, this epic spans 300 years of reimagined American history across its three parts. Readers should expect a significant reading commitment but will encounter varied narrative styles and perspectives throughout the book's length.

To Paradise explores three distinct eras: 1893 in an alternate America where the "Free States" permit same-sex marriage; 1993 Manhattan during the devastating AIDS epidemic; and 2093 in a dystopian future ravaged by pandemics and totalitarian rule. Each section is set in New York at the end of a century, creating a fin-de-siècle pattern. The stories feature recurring character names like David, Charles, and Edward, along with a townhouse in Washington Square that connects the narratives across time.

"To Paradise" represents the illusory nature of utopia and the perpetual human longing for a better world. Yanagihara deliberately never depicts what paradise actually looks like; instead, all three sections culminate with characters reaching out, leaving, or escaping in hopes of finding paradise. Each book ends with the words "to paradise," emphasizing that paradise remains always ahead, never achieved. The title ironically highlights how the concept of paradise is a moving target that drives human action but remains fundamentally unattainable.

To Paradise explores family, loss, and love as central themes, alongside illness, colonization (particularly of Hawaii), wealth inequality, and power imbalances in relationships. The novel examines fear, shame, need, and loneliness as fundamental human qualities that transcend time periods. Yanagihara addresses the tension between duty and freedom, the aching desire to protect loved ones, and the pain of failing to do so. Additional themes include the definition of nationhood, the dangers of both governmental and revolutionary righteousness, and the impact of trauma across generations.

The three sections of To Paradise connect through recurring character names (David, Charles, Edward, Nathaniel), family lineages (Bingham, Griffith), and a Washington Square townhouse in Greenwich Village. Thematic threads link the narratives: illness and costly treatments, wealth and squalor, fragile individuals dependent on powerful partners, and Hawaiian colonization. While the stories don't share the same characters, they create a symphony of recurring notes where themes deepen and enrich one another across centuries, examining how similar human struggles manifest in vastly different Americas.

The 1893 section, titled "Washington Square," presents an alternate history where New York is part of the "Free States" with destigmatized same-sex relationships. David Bingham, a fragile young heir, must choose between a socially appropriate arranged marriage and Edward, a charming but impoverished music teacher. Yanagihara demonstrates how expectations and duty bind individuals regardless of social norms. This section explores themes of class, vulnerability, and how societal pressures constrain personal freedom even in supposedly liberated societies.

The 1993 section, "Lipo-Wao-Nahele," follows Hawaiian man David living in AIDS-epidemic Manhattan with his much older, wealthier partner Charles. David grapples with his troubled childhood and his father's fate—renounced family for a homosexual relationship with Edward. The narrative explores power imbalances in relationships, being "indebted" to partners, and colonization as Charles's friend collects Hawaiian artifacts. The section addresses fear of illness, generational trauma, and the weight of Hawaiian cultural displacement through David's parallel storytelling of his own and his father's lives.

The 2093 section depicts dystopian America ravaged by pandemics and totalitarian rule. Charlie, the damaged granddaughter of scientist Charles Griffith, navigates life after her grandfather's execution for designing containment camps. Married to Edward Bishop in an arranged marriage, Charlie works in a disease research facility while trying to solve the mystery of her husband's weekly disappearances. The section explores government overreach, insurgent activism, cognitive disabilities from pandemic treatments, and the ethics of sacrificing individual freedoms for collective safety.

To Paradise shares Yanagihara's emotionally intense prose and exploration of trauma, depression, and pain found in A Little Life, but differs significantly in structure and scope. While A Little Life follows one core group intimately, To Paradise spans three separate time periods with distinct casts, creating a more ambitious, fragmented narrative. Both novels examine the desire to protect loved ones and the pain of failing to do so. However, To Paradise adds speculative and historical elements absent from A Little Life's contemporary realism, making it a departure in genre while maintaining Yanagihara's emotional depth.