Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

66 reviews

tawneylee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was an emotional and beautiful experience to read. The detailed and in depth exploration of family trauma, grief, addiction,religion and finding meaning was phenomenal. I loved the non linear fashion of the narrative and felt being inside Giftys’s head to be so realistic and raw. Her journey of self discovery was harrowing at times but I loved seeing her find herself and start to open up and work through her and let go of her trauma. An important glimpse into the life of a immigrant family from Ghana. Also loved the family dynamics between characters and how it showcased hoe they affected eachother. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Addiction, Racial slurs, Racism, Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

amyford'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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Drug use, Grief, Animal death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Death

Minor: Racial slurs and Racism

marlenealina's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Addiction

Moderate: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

sarasbooks's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

Transcendent Kingdom is an intimate novel about a Ghanaian family living in the US. We follow Gifty, a neuroscience student. She turns to her experiments as she tries to unlock the mystery of her family's loss and the scientific explanation to suffering. Gifty finds herself reconciling her faith and her studies, religion and science, her childhood memories and her mature reasonings, her hopes and fears. It's a story about depression, addiction, grief, faith.

I loved the language in this book. So many beautiful passages and quotes made me stop and think. I especially loved how Yaa Gyasi talked about Gifty's relationship with God. How she talked with him, how she literally wrote letters to him. I loved the rawness and honesty of it all.  This personal approach to God was so comforting and beautiful to read about. There were so many beautiful points made, so many interesting thoughts expressed.

I love books about familial dynamics, emotional books with a hopeful note, filled with poetic lines, stories about faith. It reminded me of Red at the bone and On earth we're briefly gorgeous. They're all different and special on their own but I still think that if you like one of these three, you will probably like the other two. The authors somehow have a similar style. 

All in all, I'm very glad I read this and I'm looking forward to reading Homegoing.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Drug use

scruffie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

Heavy book. My first Gyasi read and I have to admit that I really liked the writing style: clearly literary, but also direct. I really appreciated the book's nuanced view on depression and addiction, the focus on understanding, not judging.

I also liked the book's perspective on the internal conflicts people who have been brought up in a religious setting face, and in particular how that interacts with the scientific point of view. Coming from a similar place myself I found that part very relatable.

Time to look for Gyasi's other books :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Child death, and Sexism

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Violence

Minor: Vomit

_everybookthisyear's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Child death, and Death

Minor: Death of parent

redsshelves's review against another edition

reflective slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Addiction

chandle5's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring 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

5.0

though our stories have significant differences, this book made me feel seen in a way that few others ever have. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Child death, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Death of parent

snailish's review against another edition

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

5.0

One of my favourite books of the year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Death

Minor: Death of parent

sarahkerner's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Mental illness