Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

48 reviews

jae_bird's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Child death, Child abuse, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Slavery, Infidelity, Confinement, Death of parent, Violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Blood, Colonisation, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Police brutality, Murder, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug use, Drug abuse, Bullying, War, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death, Vomit, Suicide, and Homophobia

marissasa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is heartbreaking, harrowing, devastating, and deeply moving. The story stems from one woman name Maame who gave birth to two daughters in different villages, each half-sister unknowing of the other's existence. Each chapter alternates between the next generation of both branches of the family, and tells different but parallel stories of the lives each child lives. It's a story of the lasting effects of colonization, war, and slavery on Ghanian people both in the homeland and in United States. As the book spans 8 generations, it ties major historical events to the appropriate character's narratives for that time period. There are so many difficult and upsetting situations that family members on both sides face, and they become deeply flawed but complex characters because of their experiences and the experiences of their parents that have been passed down both verbally and metaphysically. Generational trauma is a central theme throughout the book and I could feel my heart ache each time a character went through something or had a fear that could be tied back to experiences in their parent's or ancestor's chapter just a few pages before. The ending brings everything full circle with the recurring symbols of water, fire, and the black stone passed down from Maame herself, and it left me with a bittersweet feeling knowing both the indescribable pain and incredible resilience of each ancestor that lead to the two latest generations being able to come together and feel connected to the land where it all started.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Excrement, Physical abuse, Racism, Vomit, War, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Hate crime, Infidelity, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Abandonment, Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Violence, and Kidnapping

artsyxbookish's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Colonisation, Rape, War, and Racism

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Excrement, Racial slurs, Colonisation, and Blood

jenmcreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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? No

5.0

This is a remarkable book that manages to closely visit each POV character despite only spending one chapter with each. This book does an incredible job at sweeping through history while still feeling intimate. I loved this, and the audiobook is excellently narrated. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Animal death, Trafficking, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Drug use, Slavery, Violence, Torture, Blood, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Rape, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Gun violence, and Grief

someonelikeblue's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Sexual content, Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Sexual assault, War, Child abuse, Violence, Racism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Excrement, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Infertility, Ableism, Gun violence, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Addiction, Drug abuse, Death, Child death, Vomit, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Bullying, Mental illness, Abandonment, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, and Racial slurs

Minor: Car accident, Police brutality, and Hate crime

rmperash's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Infidelity, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Trafficking, War, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, and Suicide

lucinotlucy's review

challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexual content, Colonisation, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Police brutality, Violence, Child death, Physical abuse, War, Addiction, Child abuse, and Infidelity

bouebooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Addiction, Sexual content, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Animal death, Blood, Racism, Pregnancy, War, Trafficking, Slavery, Violence, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Police brutality

mirireads's review against another edition

challenging reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Racism, and Slavery

Moderate: Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, War, Pregnancy, Abortion, Addiction, Blood, Child death, Death, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Violence, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

bibliocinephile's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective fast-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

a truly beautiful blend of deep metaphor and intense emotion. the traced lines of the two families across the book was stunning, and the sadness was almost palpable across every chapter, as well as the joy and the pride.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Racism, Pregnancy, Rape, Slavery, Blood, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Adult/minor relationship