You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
ceedy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Racism, and Abandonment
megelizabeth's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
"...everything was everything. Everything bore the weight of everything else."
This is an absolute masterpiece. It's sprawling and all-encompassing whilst at the same time being deeply, deeply intimate. Naturally I connected to some characters and storylines more than I did others, but it was just such a privilege to be able to get to know so many members of one family over so many centuries. Yaa Gyasi does so much with so comparatively few pages for the multitudes this book contains, and it never feels as if anyone or anything isn't given the time and space and exploration they deserve. I am completely astounded that this is a debut novel.
I'm honestly struggling to form coherent thoughts but this just completely hit me on a level I was not expecting and I am just absolutely obsessed with it. It has so many important things to say about ancestry, history, race, relationships, and so much more, and I honestly cannot recommend it highly enough (but do be aware that it's extremely heavy - pls check content warnings <3).
This is an absolute masterpiece. It's sprawling and all-encompassing whilst at the same time being deeply, deeply intimate. Naturally I connected to some characters and storylines more than I did others, but it was just such a privilege to be able to get to know so many members of one family over so many centuries. Yaa Gyasi does so much with so comparatively few pages for the multitudes this book contains, and it never feels as if anyone or anything isn't given the time and space and exploration they deserve. I am completely astounded that this is a debut novel.
I'm honestly struggling to form coherent thoughts but this just completely hit me on a level I was not expecting and I am just absolutely obsessed with it. It has so many important things to say about ancestry, history, race, relationships, and so much more, and I honestly cannot recommend it highly enough (but do be aware that it's extremely heavy - pls check content warnings <3).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Vomit
astralfeline's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
This book was so well done. Some of my favorite aspects of the book are the way it's organized, the way the characters lives are connected, and just how well it shows how impactful and systemic things like racism and slavery can be that it continues to affect families generations later. I loved the questions included in the end because it really made me reflect on things I hadn't even thought about, like the significance that names hold. I almost wish we'd been able to see more of each character, because we really only saw small glimpses of their experiences, but I did love seeing how later generations interacted with or talked about the earlier characters. Read this for a book club and we have had some great discussion so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Colonisation
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Excrement, and War
Minor: Child death, Police brutality, and Fire/Fire injury
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: Child death, Drug abuse, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
bigolscrewup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
The family is like the forest: if you are outside it is dense; if you are inside you see that each tree has its own position
Forgiveness, they shouted, all the while committing their wrongs
5/5🌟
How can a debut novel be this good ? Honestly the thing that surprises me more is the fact that it's a short book ( only 300 or so pages ) even though the story spans over two centuries, exploring each sister's family through the years. When I first started the book, I was sceptical, because it has a lot of characters and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep all the characters and their origin in place, but the way it was written, like a collection of short stories all related to previous generation made reading this book enjoyable.
Among all the books I've read in this particular genre, I loved reading it the most and that's all down to author's storytelling and the research behind it. I was able to learn more about slave trade and how it started out in countries like Ghana and the relationship dynamics between the slavers, the middle man and the British.
Especially with Esi's family line, It was disheartening, reading about the cruel laws that permitted the enslavement and wrongful imprisonment of innocent people in those times and it is heartbreaking to acknowledge the fact that it still persists today.
Forgiveness, they shouted, all the while committing their wrongs
5/5🌟
How can a debut novel be this good ? Honestly the thing that surprises me more is the fact that it's a short book ( only 300 or so pages ) even though the story spans over two centuries, exploring each sister's family through the years. When I first started the book, I was sceptical, because it has a lot of characters and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep all the characters and their origin in place, but the way it was written, like a collection of short stories all related to previous generation made reading this book enjoyable.
Among all the books I've read in this particular genre, I loved reading it the most and that's all down to author's storytelling and the research behind it. I was able to learn more about slave trade and how it started out in countries like Ghana and the relationship dynamics between the slavers, the middle man and the British.
Especially with Esi's family line, It was disheartening, reading about the cruel laws that permitted the enslavement and wrongful imprisonment of innocent people in those times and it is heartbreaking to acknowledge the fact that it still persists today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War
pagesbeforesunrise's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
What a feat this book is! Yaa Gyasi really did an amazing job telling the story of these two families and connecting it to real life. These characters are not just characters, they’re real people over the how many years/centuries and Yaa Gyasi communicated it in such an intriguing way. The format, at first, took some getting used to, but wow it quickly became more than a story as the book progressed and we got introduced to more of the family. It even felt like I was hearing from my ancestors. At times it was def tough due to the content, but I couldn’t recommend enough! The ending made me tear up and I’m so glad it ended the way it did. It really brought it all together in the best way. All in all, Homegoing makes me want to build out my own family tree and find out as much as possible about my ancestors.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, and Sexual assault
wovenquiry's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Rape, and Slavery
Moderate: Addiction and Fire/Fire injury
charlotteregan's review against another edition
4.5
Words are truly powerfully beautiful and Yaa Gyasi proves it with this book. It took me only a day to instill this book in me but I surely won’t be forgetting about it in the near future. Or ever. It shows us that history, especially when it comes to our lineage, can bring us to where we are right now—just like the family here. Reading each generation’s chapters brings me back to the previous chapters and slowly realize what led them to that point—that their families are all elements in what’s happening in the present and what will happen in future. Everyone plays a part in everyone’s story and that is beautiful. The ending was so moving it was impossible not to cry. I hope we get to live in a more kinder world. </3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
kristicanread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War
soapsoapsoap's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation