Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

198 reviews

0hannah0banana0's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

10/10 the author managed to beautifully show us many generations and their lives and trauma in this book. This book made me feel all the feelings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, War, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Death, Vomit, Torture, Police brutality, Murder, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Addiction, Violence, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Genocide, and Drug use

sarah_js's review against another edition

informative reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Beautiful. A heartbreaking and heartening story of a family broken into two lineages. A story of sacrifice, survival, impossible choices, and generational manifestations of trauma and resilience. Made me think a lot about the violence of cultural erasure; the privilege of traceable lineage; homeland and ancestors. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Violence, Racism, and Slavery

clairevn's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

Hard to read, but a powerful story about the generational traumas of slavery and racism

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Racial slurs, Rape, and Slavery

linhsreadinghour's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Beautiful beautiful historical fiction novel that follows the descendants of two sisters and how the decisions of each family member impacted the next. The writing was gorgeous and hooked me right in. Despite following each character for one chapter each time, Yaa Gyasi doesn’t fail to explore the intricacies and conflicts of their own lives, whilst weaving in the historical context and significance of the time period. Stunning book and so illuminating as a non-black person. Will become a classic in the future no doubt, a must read for everyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, War, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Drug use, Death, Pregnancy, Racism, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Rape

chuck3791's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad

• 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

A pretty great about inherited trauma. Worthwhile but I will definitely not be reading it again and would only recommend with heavy caution

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Death, Slavery, Sexual violence, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Rape, Child death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Trafficking, Addiction, and Grief

serenspace's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Addiction, and Slavery

This book is structured in an intricate, fleeting way that relayed entire lifetimes in twenty pages or less. It took a few chapters to get used to the generational jumps and the unfinished stories that preceeded them, but what Gyasi chooses to tell us and what she chooses to leave behind is carefully selected to convey the primary themes of grief, history as a map and generational trauma. Each member of this family has a rich inner life that carries the weight of the Gold Coast all the way to present day America, each significant in their own right and as part of this intricate story. Gyasi's voice is, as always, reflective, a perfect conveyor for such a grand history. She has an immense talent for building an image of the world as a collective effort, more than any one person can bring to it.

rheysweg's review against another edition

dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Trafficking, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Colonisation and Police brutality

crybabybea's review against another edition

reflective sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Torture, Drug use, Misogyny, Slavery, Colonisation, Death of parent, Murder, Classism, Racism, Sexual content, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexism, War, Confinement, Excrement, Grief, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Child death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry

aclark214's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Slavery, Genocide, and Racism

Minor: Drug use, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Child death

aamie's review against another edition

4.5

I really liked it!! Pretty dark but sooo interesting. I feel like I learned so much about Ghana and the history of their people and in America too. I really like how the stories intertwined but I do wish we got to see more of their lives then the little snapshots we get especially for the people in the later generations. I thought it was really well written and some of the imagery and feelings evoked were horrific but handled with a lot of care and poetry. Majorie and the Old Woman 😭😭😭✨✨🫶  SAM AND NESS! KOJO AND ANNA 😭 every storyline just had so much heartbreak and pain and suffering and you just feel so much humanity for them. Good book!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Addiction, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, and Torture