Reviews tagging 'War'

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

144 reviews

lianne_rooney's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Abandonment, and War

lucy12345's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and War

Minor: Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

vaniavela's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.5

Homegoing is a look at the history of colonialism and slavery in Ghana and America, spanning 300 years. Following seven generations, it all begins with two half-sisters who never met.

The novel explores the slave trade and shows us life in Ghana at the time. Through 14 perspectives, we explore America's and Ghana's relationship with slavery. 

I loved the depth of the characters in each chapter. The lives of each descendant is complex, being brutally affected by the events of the time, or those that happened to their ancestors. Gyasi only uses twenty pages for each generation, but she fills their stories with detail, allowing us to learn about them. My only wish would be to read more of the characters; when I became attached to one, we would switch to another, and it was sad. Also, at first I was confused when the narration jumped to the sister's descendant, but as I read, I picked up the format. 

It is hard to believe that this is Yaa Gyasi's first novel. Everything is portrayed in minute detail, the violence and events are acutely depicted, and the characters are well written. Undoubtedly a moving book.

cw: child/domestic abuse, chattel slavery, racism, racial slurs, whipping, rape/sexual assault, suicide, IV drug use (heroin), colonialism, lynching, beating, violence, war, incarceration, police brutality, mental illness, whipping.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Slavery, and Colonisation

Moderate: Drug use, Rape, Suicide, Violence, and War

Minor: Mental illness

goldensun's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, and War

htaub23's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

3.25

A multi-generational tale that's a bit  hard to follow if you read it over a long stretch like I did. Moving and stark portraits of Black life from the beginning of the African slave trade to today. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, and War

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

kyrarm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Racism, Rape, Slavery, and War

cantfindmybookmark's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

alyssagongora's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

I was expecting this book to be like a princess and the pauper story but it was so much better. I would almost relate this to being more like a short story book with a strong through line. I will say by the fourth chapter I put together the ending but it was still worth it and when it happened I was still so happy and excited. It’s a book where nothing really happens, but everything happens it’s just not connected to the same plot. About halfway through the book I read about the author’s background and I feel like it made me appreciate the ending even more so I recommend that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Vomit, Police brutality, and Colonisation

mirireads's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Colonisation

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and War