Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

64 reviews

voraciouslycurious's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Be preparing to invest your time if you begin this book; slow going as main character struggle with painful past and depressed mother during frequent flashbacks to childhood.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Racial slurs, Mental illness, and Grief

nell_bell's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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: Addiction, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Racism, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Minor: Animal death, Death, and Death of parent

stayathomereader's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Infertility

Animal testing/experimentation

jayisreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

Transcendent Kingdom is a book that calls for quiet contemplation in an entirely different way from her previous book, Homegoing. Equally stunning and brilliantly told from a complex protagonist, every word was intentional and made you ache in more ways than one. I loved the way Gyasi shaped Gifty, the protagonist, by the way. She was one of the most human characters I’ve read in a while, approaching large (and often overwhelming) topics in a way that’s relatable, as well as sharing a particular grief that angered and saddened her, especially in her family relations and their struggles. The push-and-pull between science and religion was brilliantly handled by exploring it through Gifty’s perspective, and I really appreciated the grey area that Gyasi presented to make space for the reader to reflect on their own understanding of these two.

I think what struck me about this book is that neither Gyasi or Gifty were expecting anyone to come to terms with anything. In fact, it was clear that there were some things that couldn’t be resolved, would forever ache, or require a long period to process things that sometimes can’t be put into words. It was more complex than trauma and, somehow, Gyasi was able to spin words together to express all of this with such care.

I absolutely loved Homecoming and equally enjoyed Transcendent Kingdom. Whatever Gyasi has planned next, I eagerly look forward to it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

nataliebootlah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Gifty is a first-generation Ghanaian finishing up her neuroscience PhD focused on the restraint and reward system of lab mice at Stanford University. She hopes to discover which neurological pathways lead to addiction and depression in humans, something she is all too familiar with. 

After the loss of her brother to an overdose resulting in her mother falling into an unrelenting depression, Gifty throws all of her focus into her research. It isn’t until her mother comes to stay with her that she begins to come to terms with the heaviness of her own trauma. This realization is what makes her look past the lab as a coping mechanism, leaving her longing for the comfort faith used to bring her. 

The emotions in Transcendent Kingdom leap off the page as science and faith collide. It is both heavy and soft. Gifty’s journey is one of grief, hope, self-reflection, and where religion fits in (and where it doesn’t).

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Addiction, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts

lorinew1's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Addiction, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

alexhaydon's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Death, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Medical content, Racial slurs, and Racism

kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

amberinbookland's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

executivespooky's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Racism and Racial slurs