Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

103 reviews

rieviolet'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? It's complicated

3.75

It is not easy to cover such a vast temporal space in a single book, so I recognize Gyasi's ability to tackle a story so big in scope. 
Still, I think that this kind of narrative structure (chapters with an ever-changing point of view) is just not my personal preference. Inevitably (as it happens, for example, with short stories collections), there were certain characters' storylines that I appreciated more compared to others. In general, I found the final chapters (those closer to us in time) less engaging. 
There were also sections that I liked but that ended a bit too abruptly, leaving too much left unsaid about crucial events and the characters' fate (and not all of the storylines got mentioned again and expanded upon, further on in the narration).

At times, the book got a bit too graphic for my (I admit a bit delicate) sensibilities, but it does deal with very heavy topics; just be sure to check the content warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, Sexual content, Excrement, Kidnapping, Death, Drug abuse, Slavery, Racism, Colonisation, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual violence, and Torture

Moderate: War, Child abuse, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Rape, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Ableism, Murder, Infertility, Bullying, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Child death

alexiconic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional

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

4.5

A beautiful collection of narratives and memories, of how a trauma crosses the boundaries of generations and how the way it’s dealt with matters. As is often the case with short story collections, though, that not all chapters sparked as much to me.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Trafficking, Violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Racism, Rape, Colonisation, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Deportation, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, War, Abortion, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infertility, Murder, Sexual violence, and Mental illness

uisimportant's review

This was the story of two enslaved sisters. Unless enslaved tale that I read was  “The Prophets” and that story was a lot. I don’t think that I will be reading any more, following this. Story was beautifully written, and I have no complaints from the author. As an African-American woman., these stories are hard to hear - in the depths that the author decided to reach.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Slavery, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Racism

eve_kadou's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Slavery, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Hate crime

fabelur's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring tense 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Death, Rape, and Slavery

Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Grief

hannahbailey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Child death, Blood, Death, Child abuse, Slavery, War, Kidnapping, Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Xenophobia, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Death of parent, Confinement, Bullying, Mental illness, Grief, and Deportation

travisppe's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Drug use, Excrement, Hate crime, Infertility, Abandonment, Classism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Trafficking, Addiction, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, War, Vomit, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

msvernier's review

emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Abandonment, Rape, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Grief, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Child death, and Slavery

jordynkw's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Torture, Addiction, Drug use, Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, War, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Colonisation, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Rape, Hate crime, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs

lyzz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

This is one of the best books I have ever read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, Violence, Racism, Slavery, Sexual assault, and Torture

Moderate: Excrement, Murder, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Racial slurs, Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Sexual violence and Rape

The book travels from the 1600s to modern day through the perspective of two black families. It shows the horror of slavery, colonialism and racism.