A Little Life By Hanya Yanagihara (2015)

In this powerful novel, four friends from a small Massachusetts college navigate the challenges of life in New York City. Willem, JB, Malcolm, and Jude are bound by friendship and ambition as they pursue their dreams. However, as the decades pass, their relationships are tested by addiction, success, and the haunting presence of Jude's troubled past.

Jude, in particular, grapples with the scars of an unspeakable childhood, which threaten to define his life forever. As his friends come to understand the depth of Jude's trauma, they must confront their own roles in his journey toward healing and redemption.

Tinged with both darkness and hope, this poignant novel explores the complexities of friendship, resilience, and the enduring impact of trauma on the human spirit. Through richly drawn characters and evocative storytelling, it offers a profound meditation on the bonds that connect us and the power of love to heal even the deepest wounds.