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beetsbydwight's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Addiction, Child death, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Racial slurs, Grief, and Abandonment
cameronrose00's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
This book was so thoughtfully written. The story just seemed to unfold as you came to know the characters, especially the main character, Gifty, and her family history as she grapples with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Addiction
Moderate: Grief, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness
There is a lot of difficult relationship between mother and daughter(protagonist). There is also a lot of religious trauma and questioning.crabbytaco's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Mental illness
kalyaniwarrier's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
The childhood weariness of having to belong somewhere, and the wanting of acceptance is unfortunately a common occurrence as we grow up to our visioned idealism.
In this state of mind, Gifty, the protagonist, despite living the life of professional quixotism, is met with broken familial arrangements, suicide of her brother and her skepticism towards the religion she was bought up in.
In this state of mind, Gifty, the protagonist, despite living the life of professional quixotism, is met with broken familial arrangements, suicide of her brother and her skepticism towards the religion she was bought up in.
The plot is highly philosophical - questioning one's beliefs and the entirety of human existence, which leads the protagonist to right the wrongs in life to bring meaning to her existence. Transcendent Kingdom also highlights the racial profiling of African-American communities, immigrants and their struggle of belonging to a strange community, in spite of the marginalisation.
Berry's model of acculturation in cultural studies (further divided into four parts: assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalisation) plays a huge role in this text; parts of assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalisation are widely discussed in this text that give nuance to the cultural phenomenon observed in immigrants and migrated populations. For further details on Berry's model, please check out this website: https://open.maricopa.edu/culturepsychology/chapter/berrys-model-of-acculturation/
The book is beautiful in form, content and structure. It gives a hope of wanting to believe in something, be it a religious inclination or a secular one, and gives meaning to life. This message of self-preservation has allowed me to rate this book in such a manner.
Berry's model of acculturation in cultural studies (further divided into four parts: assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalisation) plays a huge role in this text; parts of assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalisation are widely discussed in this text that give nuance to the cultural phenomenon observed in immigrants and migrated populations. For further details on Berry's model, please check out this website: https://open.maricopa.edu/culturepsychology/chapter/berrys-model-of-acculturation/
The book is beautiful in form, content and structure. It gives a hope of wanting to believe in something, be it a religious inclination or a secular one, and gives meaning to life. This message of self-preservation has allowed me to rate this book in such a manner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Suicide
ollie_again's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Death and Grief
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Abandonment
siomaii's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Racial slurs, Grief, Death, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Moderate: Death of parent and Forced institutionalization
mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book read like a memoir or a stream of consciousness. Like memories pieced together. It was an intimate POV of a first generation experience, of growing up black in the south, of the changing nature of faith and religion, of what it's like to see your family struggle with mental health issues and addiction. You really get to know who Gifty is and what drives her throughout this novel.
I would recommend this if you're drawn to memoirs or particularly reflective fiction.
My biggest qualm with this book is that I felt like I was waiting for the book to pick up a plot line that it never did. I also don't read a lot of books this tied up in Christianity, so I may have not been the perfect audience.The hard cut at the end to her being in a relationship with Han having already experienced her mom's passing felt too sudden for me too.
I would recommend this if you're drawn to memoirs or particularly reflective fiction.
My biggest qualm with this book is that I felt like I was waiting for the book to pick up a plot line that it never did. I also don't read a lot of books this tied up in Christianity, so I may have not been the perfect audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Racial slurs, Drug abuse, Racism, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Addiction
Moderate: Death
anseq's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
sophiestasyna's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Mental illness
Moderate: Grief and Death
jbbikes's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse and Addiction