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swordsmith's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.75
Yaa Gyasi strikes gold (again)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Addiction, and Mental illness
Moderate: Animal cruelty
sakisreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-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
4.5
This book was BRILLIANT. I had seen it on the bookstores’ bookshelves and always thought to pick it up, but never gave myself the chance to read it until now. Gifty is a gorgeous character, with so much nuance, and I loved being able to feel her energy throughout the book. Although I am not religious, I could appreciate how she saw God as an integral part of her life and even as she moved into her idyllic world, they were still there.
I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who’s not yet picked it up! There were so many incredible quotes as well. ❤️✨
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Racism, and Classism
ebba94's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Racism
mszurawski's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I really liked this book’s exploration of religion and science and the space between on the Venn diagram. Gifty felt so real, and I enjoyed grappling with the big questions with her. I’ve been reading lots of books with switching perspectives and sprawling histories, so I found myself wanting to zoom in to her mom’s storyline and hear her history. The writing was excellent and there were so many powerful lines that really will stick with me. I did feel like the ending just popped up and I wasn’t ready for it. I’m happy with that ending for Gifty but do wish we could have journeyed there with her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Death, Drug use, and Mental illness
Moderate: Racism and Suicide attempt
agnesg's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Addiction, Death, Drug use, Grief, Racism, Mental illness, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Excrement, and Injury/Injury detail
mair_mcc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
5.0
Alabama. The writing style of this book was nothing short of moving. The multiple topics, all very difficult, were woven together in a way that made them interesting, gripping, heartbreaking & relatable all at the same time. I cannot wait to get my hands on more of this author's work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction
Moderate: Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Racism, and Racial slurs
Minor: Animal death
elenai7's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
incredible book I think the first book I have ever read that has cultural references I can actually relate to and understand. Transcendent Kingdom has made me realise and want to start reading more books that can do this for me. I really enjoyed the religious parts of this book which i didn’t have an understanding of before reading, but that i now appreciate more. I found pretty much every character likable despite their flaws. The way this book was written was perfect, Yaa Gyasi has a real talent for writing. I know that i am going to be thinking about this book for a very long time!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Mental illness, Racism, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, and Drug use
audreypalz's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.5
Man, this book was heavy. Reading this, I imagine, felt like being one of Gifty's friends in the book, and trying and trying again to get her to open up, go to therapy, understand that the things she's dealt with are shitty and weighty but that not talking about them makes them so much shittier. I mean, that's kind of a shallow reading of the book. This book was also, at times, lovely, and kept dancing right up to the edge of the most horrible things you can imagine without ever dipping into morose and melodramatic. I can safely say that I think about addiction very differently now. The characters felt so heartbreakingly real, so at times difficult to understand. I don't know. Yaa Gyasi is a genius.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Racism
thisislaura's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
Lots of big themes packed into this family drama. Faith vs reason, the immigrant experience in the American South, addiction, mental health, spiritual vs medical healing. Very beautiful and thought provoking. Would be an excellent book club choice as there is plenty to talk about here.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt
thepassivebookworm's review against another edition
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Racism