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tmurph's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
toejben's review against another edition
5.0
Easily one of the best books I’ve read in the last five years.
heathernicole20's review against another edition
emotional
informative
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
4.0
rosie333's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
rskey's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite books of the year. It took a while for me to get hooked, but it absolutely dazzled me once I got into it. I felt all the feelings and that is a success to me.
wolfebh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, War, Child death, Racism, Drug abuse, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
melissa_li's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
jfaberrit's review against another edition
4.0
More like 4 and a quarter than 4 stars. Gyasi's debut novel is a sweeping tale of a family split between Ghana and the US over two hundred years of separation. The best of the vignettes are beautifully told, and Gyasi is a born storyteller, whose rhythms and pace flow naturally and feel effortless. Unlike a lot of novels, it doesn't feel like a creative writing workshop project writ large, but instead a real novel by someone whois comfortable with the characters and their lives. To the extent that it has flaws, it is that she writes better when her narrators have stronger traits and motivations, and seems to drift when they themselves are driftless or weak-willed. I'm also a little skeptical if the generations really work out, since she averages about 40 years per generation which is pretty long, but these are details. Strangely enough, even though she was largely raised in America, the American sections often feel unmoored from their time and place than the African chapters. Overall though, this is a much better first novel than most writers can dream of, and suggests only good things in her future.