Reviews

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

seullywillikers's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.5

Little plot, mostly vibes. This story takes place near the end of Gifty's graduate schooling, as she finishes a series of experiments with mice researching behavior and addiction. At this time Gifty's mother comes to her to visit, as she goes through a depression so deep she rarely moves from the bed. But this isn't the first time Gifty's mother has gone through this, and most of the book is Gifty's recollection of events, of her family's story, of her memories and journal entries, that lead up to the point where we find her studying mice in a neuroscience lab. This book touches on race, addiction, mental health, and family. Like Homegoing, it is exquisitely written, and Gifty is a character you latch onto, that you love and care for and long to meet for real. 

I wasn't crying until the very last two pages.

elladensnella's review against another edition

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

3.75

philoundphie's review

challenging emotional 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

3.0

summerside's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

kglaess's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.25

miloalright's review against another edition

emotional sad 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? Yes

4.0

yars_reading_corner's review against another edition

2.0

This is a wonderful book written about addiction and the problems of a Ghanaian family that live in the US and have experienced discrimination and hate both from the black and non-black communities, and the reasons behind addiction. It's a book that feels like two in one since there is a part of it that is about the life of female scientist and also her memoir that have led her to choose the field that she is doing her experiments on.

There should be a trigger warning for trauma and addiction and familial issues but what I really loved the details that went into this book is the fact that it was written based on one trip to a lab and it also shows the entity one has to suppress as a scientist when experimenting on animals because there's no room for compassion when you are trying for "the greater good". And also, there were some passages that were written in Twi which is spoken by a large population of Ghanaians.

macintasha's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Racism, Addiction, and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Vomit

Minor: Alcohol and Racial slurs

daisy_kxnt's review against another edition

5.0

*4.5 stars

withlovejea's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

5.0