Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - Transcendent Kingdom

Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

390 reviews

hollydyer328's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing 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? It's complicated

4.25

This book almost felt like a memoir while I was reading it. The reader gets a direct view into Gifty's brain (fitting since she's a neuroscientist) and sees all of the traumas that she has held throughout her life and with her family. The story happens a lot more in the past and Gifty reflects on events in her family life that deal with addiction, depression, and unraveling family dynamics. As she is conducting her graduate work, she looks to science to explain the problems that have plagued her, but throughout she reckons with her religion and her faith. I love how Yaa Gyasi brings takes these typically-separate themes and brings them together in Gifty's reflection and reckoning. Her writing style is so relaxing and therapeutic.

If you are more of a plot-driven person, just know that there is not much plot that happens. A lot of the events happen in the past, and the plot for the present day is pretty brief. I personally wish there was more of an aftermath, and the ending felt brief to me. I prefer more of a plot-driven story, but I will appreciate a character-driven story if it's robust and compelling, which Gyasi does very well.

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gottheblues's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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mrlsdevos's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

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britt_blank_'s review against another edition

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emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

Gyasi’s writing is emotion-packed and poetic. It evokes empathy from the reader, which to me, is the sign of a great and important story.

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ramreadsagain's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A beautiful novel with gorgeous writing, and characters and events that leap from the page.

I particularly enjoyed the content about Gifty's research as well as her thoughts and struggles with the science:religion binary. While I very much fall on the science side, the emotional depth of the novel and the way it portrays how one can exist on a 'spectrum' of belief was incredibly well done.

I do not understand how such a relatively short novel could have managed to cover so many topics in such a profound way. I'm annoyed I put off reading this for so long, and I'm now excited to read Homegoing.

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mollz12's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

This book was a little tough to pick up. At the time I had a sibling with substance abuse going on and this story touches on it.
I read this piece of work before homecoming and ended up liking homecoming better but you can’t compare them.
This one touches on family dynamics and how to keep your peace. Highly recommend.

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