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makennakunz's review against another edition
5.0
This book reminded me why I love to read - best I’ve read in a really long time.
kollieollie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
To me, this book is a must read. It is a highly reflective book on the inter generational trauma of the Atlantic Slave trade as shown through different generations of two connected families. The emotions make it a challenging book to read, and I found that I read these chapters much slower than normal with far more breaks than I would usually take. That said, I thought this book was so well done. I particularly appreciated seeing the parallels of the impact of the Slave trade not just in the US, but in Western Africa as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Pregnancy
slibourel's review against another edition
5.0
In the mid-1700s, in what is now known as Ghana, an Asante woman (from the interior of Ghana) is stolen from her village in a raid to feed the slave trade on the Gold Coast. She is instead selected to work as a housegirl in a Fante (from the coast of Ghana) village, where she is impregnated by her captor. After giving birth to a daughter, the woman sets a devastating wildfire and escapes back to a village in the Asante region. Her daughter, Effia, is left behind to be brought up by her father and one of his wives. After her escape, the woman is married to a powerful Asante leader and gives birth to a second daughter, Esi. Homegoing is the story of the descendants of both of these girls, who never have the opportunity to meet: Effia, who is married off to white slave trader who lives in one of the large forts (Cape Coast Castle) that functions as a port for embarkation of slaves onto ships bound for America and other destinations; and Esi, who is captured and sold into slavery in America.
The story is told over the course of the next 250 years, in successive generations of both girls, alternating between the descendants of Esi in America and Effia in Ghana. Both families suffer from the taint of slavery. Effia's family in Ghana lives through the slave raids by the Fante and Asanti people, wars for independence from Great Britain, drought, and famine. Esi's family in America lives through slavery, escape via the Underground Railway, penal enslavement in coal mines in the South, the Great Migration, and the scourge of heroin in 1980s Harlem.
I can't say enough accolades for Yaa Gyasi. This is a first novel, and a monumental undertaking, but Ms. Gyasi manages to provide enough development of the characters in the generations to understand the history of African-Americans and Ghanaian people, and how their lives are exploited by white people. The book presents a brutal but accurate picture. In the end, the descendants of the two half-sisters emerge (mostly) whole and (mostly) free.
The story is told over the course of the next 250 years, in successive generations of both girls, alternating between the descendants of Esi in America and Effia in Ghana. Both families suffer from the taint of slavery. Effia's family in Ghana lives through the slave raids by the Fante and Asanti people, wars for independence from Great Britain, drought, and famine. Esi's family in America lives through slavery, escape via the Underground Railway, penal enslavement in coal mines in the South, the Great Migration, and the scourge of heroin in 1980s Harlem.
I can't say enough accolades for Yaa Gyasi. This is a first novel, and a monumental undertaking, but Ms. Gyasi manages to provide enough development of the characters in the generations to understand the history of African-Americans and Ghanaian people, and how their lives are exploited by white people. The book presents a brutal but accurate picture. In the end, the descendants of the two half-sisters emerge (mostly) whole and (mostly) free.
dioniziah's review against another edition
5.0
The worst part about this 5-Star book was how quickly you got attached to a character and then their story just ended....this should’ve been longer with 100 more pages on Ness.
iswim41's review against another edition
4.0
While I was reading this I read a review I found from the New Yorker, I think it was. They liked the book but questioned the point and the format. When I finished this my first though was 'full circle'. I liked the format and the writing. Very thoughtful and I found myself looking at a map of Africa while I was reading.
ridderdavid's review against another edition
5.0
Heel erg onder de indruk van Yaa Gyasi’s debut novel Homegoing.
Waarin niet een persoon de hoofdrol heeft in het verhaal maar een stamboom als leidraad fungeert.
Een aangrijpende reis door de stamboom van een 18-eeuwse Ghanese familie, helemaal naar het nu. Elk hoofdstuk verteld vanuit een generatie verder. Ik had van elk personage zoveel meer willen lezen maar des te indrukwekkender hoe Gyasi in, vaak niet meer dan, 20 pagina’s een compleet personage kan laten leven. En de keuze om je mee te nemen door al deze 14 (!) personages levert zoveel op!
Verdrietige levens, gruwelijke gebeurtenissen die nooit hadden mogen gebeuren, mooie personages en prachtige zinnen. Absolute aanrader.
Waarin niet een persoon de hoofdrol heeft in het verhaal maar een stamboom als leidraad fungeert.
Een aangrijpende reis door de stamboom van een 18-eeuwse Ghanese familie, helemaal naar het nu. Elk hoofdstuk verteld vanuit een generatie verder. Ik had van elk personage zoveel meer willen lezen maar des te indrukwekkender hoe Gyasi in, vaak niet meer dan, 20 pagina’s een compleet personage kan laten leven. En de keuze om je mee te nemen door al deze 14 (!) personages levert zoveel op!
Verdrietige levens, gruwelijke gebeurtenissen die nooit hadden mogen gebeuren, mooie personages en prachtige zinnen. Absolute aanrader.
tiisetsoo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
madladym's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't sure when I started this book how I was going to feel about it. It covers some pretty awful parts of history. I enjoyed the way the author wove the story of the 2 families together even though they were far apart. I learned things that I hadn't known. Some things that weren't taught in Alabama history all those many years ago when I was in school. I had no idea when I started to read that there was and would be an Alabama tie to the book. Definitely one of the best books I've read so far this year.
marycathmc's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible. Even more so knowing it was a debut book by the author. Makes a horrific history come to life. It was a little difficult to follow the generations with the audiobook, but Goodreads readers helped keep it straight for me. Highly recommend.