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Homegoing is an excellent debut novel about how we are made up of all the things that our parents and ancestors lived, witnessed, and survived. I can't wait to see how Gyasi's career progresses - looking forward to her next book.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi is such a beautifully told and powerful story. I loved the writing and the way the family history unfolded across generations—it’s such a clever structure. That said, I did find myself struggling a bit with the constant change in characters, and not every character gripped me equally. Also, while I know it may be intentional in reflecting past generations, it sometimes felt like the women’s stories were reduced mainly to sex or giving birth, which left me wanting more depth for them. Still, an incredibly moving read and one I’m glad I picked up.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
Wowowowow. We talk about slavery and Jim Crow and the civil rights movement and “war on drugs” as if they’re all isolated historical movements. But Gyasi keeps pulling at one string only to unravel the whole blanket. You can’t understand all of Black American history and diaspora without going all the way back. I think she really exemplifies this with (and I got the feeling she saw herself in) one of the last characters, Marcus. Marcus is a grad student who knows he wants to write about Black history but keeps getting stuck or angry because he’s finding it impossible to just write about one thing. It’s all connected. The saga of Black and African lineage. I highly recommend this book. I think a great sister book is How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney.
This touched my soul in ways I was not anticipating. Absolutely phenomenal book on so many levels
emotional
reflective
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Colonisation
Moderate: Addiction, Rape
Minor: Sexual content
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
This book contains the types of characters that linger. I suspect that I will always carry bits and pieces of their stories with me. They're imprinted on me now.
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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