Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Penguin Readers Level 7: Homegoing (ELT Graded Reader) by Yaa Gyasi

26 reviews

lautreamont's review against another edition

reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

i loved the first 100 pages but then it started moving on soooo fast and like i get the idea behind it but i really wanted to dive more into each individual story to the point that it got a bit frustrating in the last 100 page

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Slavery, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: War

Minor: Homophobia and Alcohol

marissasa's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Excrement, Physical abuse, Racism, Vomit, War, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Hate crime, Infidelity, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Abandonment, Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Violence, and Kidnapping

rebekah_florence's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I’ve never felt so whole after completing a book.  This is THE best multi-generational family saga I’ve ever read (and I do love to read them).  I both hated and loved that we only got to spend a chapter with each character-hated because I longed to learn so much more from each person’s life, loved because I can see how the pivotal moments of each person’s story contributed to the family more and more.  Each character was unique and so beautifully and completely developed. Everything about this book was perfect. This will stick with me forever. “Welcome home”❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug use, Slavery, Child death, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Racism, Death, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Infidelity and War

Minor: Religious bigotry

kenzim's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Yaa Gyasi has written the most incredible prose i have ever read. This book is an altogether gut-wrenching and awe-inspiring work of art and i feel privileged to have read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Rape, and Colonisation

Moderate: Racial slurs, Addiction, Racism, Death, Domestic abuse, and Alcohol

jojo_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Rape, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Violence, Physical abuse, Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, War, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcohol, Excrement, Genocide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

lucinotlucy's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexual content, Colonisation, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Police brutality, Violence, Child death, Physical abuse, War, Addiction, Child abuse, and Infidelity

bouebooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Addiction, Sexual content, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Animal death, Blood, Racism, Pregnancy, War, Trafficking, Slavery, Violence, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Police brutality

galexy_brain's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Excrement, Murder, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Confinement, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Classism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Vomit, Xenophobia, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and War

Minor: Alcohol, Racial slurs, Suicide, Infertility, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Bullying, Gun violence, and Homophobia

hmbk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Child death

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide and Alcohol

seanml's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

This is perfection. Yaa Gyasi had an idea and executed it immaculately. There isn’t much more to say for this one. It is a complex story told with such confidence and purpose that its messages cut through clear and uninhibited. 10/10.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Trafficking

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia

Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Cannibalism, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Dysphoria, and Stalking