A note on the criticism that this book is too long:

This ultimately boils down to not responding to the emotional beats of the story. The length of this book is necessary to develop the characters so that you can understand their intricacies and the depth of their personalities. Without this the story would not pack the punch it does. The writing style is also so readable that the pages almost turn themselves. Yanigahara has an incredible way of writing believable and loveable characters, why not let her indulge in this talent?