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A review by michaelsbirthday
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
challenging
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
4.75
This would have been 5 stars but the epilogue annoyed me. Why was it there? It was too short to offer some kind of reflection. Maybe it represents a gap in Gifty’s journalling, a practice which she reflects on towards the end of the book? I’m clutching at straws here.
But the writing! I’m officially obsessed with Gyaasi. I read Homegoing, which I enjoyed, but I found the disjointed narrative with multiple points of view stopped me from being fully invested. This book, however, kept hooked, because of the disjointed narrative. I wanted to know what was happening at each narrative point in Gifty’s life, and the way they weaved in and out of each other cleverly reflected Gifty’s thoughts. The themes throughout were deliciously layered and entangled, reflecting how they are in Gifty’s mind.
But the writing! I’m officially obsessed with Gyaasi. I read Homegoing, which I enjoyed, but I found the disjointed narrative with multiple points of view stopped me from being fully invested. This book, however, kept hooked, because of the disjointed narrative. I wanted to know what was happening at each narrative point in Gifty’s life, and the way they weaved in and out of each other cleverly reflected Gifty’s thoughts. The themes throughout were deliciously layered and entangled, reflecting how they are in Gifty’s mind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Suicide attempt