Reviews with content warning for Cursing - Penguin Readers Level 7: Homegoing (ELT Graded Reader)

An all-encompassing scope of a Ghanaian lineage from the 1700s to–what I assume is 2016—Gyasi's novel reckons with slavery and colonialsm and the implications of these all in modern times. I loved stories like Esi's for how brutal and direct they were.

To see Gyasi's timeline of fire, arrest, and the black ember of hardships that tied them all together was simply beautiful. Gyasi's at times poetic and sweeping style of writing makes this book an even more worthwhile read.

I loved this book as a fellow Ghanaian! I gave this book a lesser rating because some of the content here was very graphic. This is just my preference, however. But if you can deal with things such as sexual abuse and the abominations of slavery (which I suggest that you should be somewhat aware of and knowledgeable about before reading this book), I believe that this is a strong, informative tale on our lineage and how it affects all of us.

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mx_sunshine's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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marissasa's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This book is heartbreaking, harrowing, devastating, and deeply moving. The story stems from one woman name Maame who gave birth to two daughters in different villages, each half-sister unknowing of the other's existence. Each chapter alternates between the next generation of both branches of the family, and tells different but parallel stories of the lives each child lives. It's a story of the lasting effects of colonization, war, and slavery on Ghanian people both in the homeland and in United States. As the book spans 8 generations, it ties major historical events to the appropriate character's narratives for that time period. There are so many difficult and upsetting situations that family members on both sides face, and they become deeply flawed but complex characters because of their experiences and the experiences of their parents that have been passed down both verbally and metaphysically. Generational trauma is a central theme throughout the book and I could feel my heart ache each time a character went through something or had a fear that could be tied back to experiences in their parent's or ancestor's chapter just a few pages before. The ending brings everything full circle with the recurring symbols of water, fire, and the black stone passed down from Maame herself, and it left me with a bittersweet feeling knowing both the indescribable pain and incredible resilience of each ancestor that lead to the two latest generations being able to come together and feel connected to the land where it all started.

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