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mx_sunshine's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Vomit, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, War, Abandonment, Bullying, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Torture, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Trafficking
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Car accident and Suicide
erin52's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Trafficking, War, Racial slurs, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Addiction, Child abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Slavery, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, and Genocide
thereadhersrecap's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I can't believe this book was her debut novel! The writing was spectacular. She has a way of transporting you out of your body and into the characters mind. The characterization was the best and meat of the book and Gyasi nailed it.
The novel follows two ancestry lines of Ghanian children as the embark on separate but destined journeys. Two half sisters, Effia and Esi, born to different villages in the 18th century lead two very different lives. One is married off to an Englishman and lives in the castle on the shore, the other is imprisoned beneath her and sold into the slave trade where her children and grandchildren will be raised in slavery. We see each character navigate historical events such as The Civil War, The Great Migration, Jim Crow, Harlem and heroin.
The books is told through a series of chapters dedicated to on individual of the ancestry. Although each chapter looks at a new character's life, Gyasi still presents a complete and cohesive story.
Weakness is treating someone as though they belong to you. Strength is knowing that everyone belongs to themselves."
The portrait of slavery is one I will never understand, but with books like these it truly helps to paint a picture of the atrocities African's withstood. It's frustrates me that this part of American history is just a blurb in the history books. Gyasi shows the impact slavery plays on everyone spanning generations, robbing families of spouses, killing, and structuring the world at an unfair advantage.
“We believe the one who has the power. He is the one who gets to write the story. So when you study history, you must always ask yourself, Whose story am I missing? Whose voice was suppressed so that this voice could come forth? Once you have figured that out, you must find that story too. From there, you begin to get a clearer, yet still imperfect, picture.”
This book will stay with me forever.
CW: abandonment, addiction, death, classism, colonization, confinement, drug abuse, forced institutionalization, hate crime, physical abuse, police brutality, racism, religious bigotry, violence, torture, sexual assault
Graphic: Murder, Slavery, Violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Torture
leahgustafson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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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This story begins with two half sisters, Effia and Esi, and follows their lineage down through the six generations. I was nervous about the structure at first. Typically, if you need a family tree, map, or diagram to figure it out, it’s not my kind of book. However, I’m happy to say that this one came together so beautifully!
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I could not believe this was Yaa Gyasi’s debut. The writing and use of language are incredible. I was impressed at the complexities of the characters and the attachment I felt for them despite only reading each perspective for a short time. Honestly, Gyasi’s ability to tie together six generations of history speaks to her talent as a writer. This story highlights the importance of our connectedness and shared history. I also loved how the theme of oral history is woven throughout.
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This book sat on my TBR stack for years. Don’t be like me—if you’ve been waiting on this one, move it to the top of your list!
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Checkout what I'm reading next on Instagram @LeahsLitReview!
Graphic: War, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Drug use, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Drug abuse, and Addiction
lanaaa21's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Slavery
jae_bird's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Sexual violence, Child death, Child abuse, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Slavery, Infidelity, Confinement, Death of parent, Violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Blood, Colonisation, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Police brutality, Murder, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug use, Drug abuse, Bullying, War, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death, Vomit, Suicide, and Homophobia
ivulikkivulik's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Violence
isaarusilor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexism, Racism, War, Violence, Trafficking, Slavery, Torture, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Addiction, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, and Pregnancy
lindsaylhunter's review
- 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
Graphic: Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Trafficking, Slavery, Death, Colonisation, War, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault
scenic92's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, War, Murder, Slavery, Racism, and Racial slurs