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A review by bookmarkonthewall
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.5
Gifty tells the story of her and her family moving from Ghana to Alabama to seek a better life and live the American dream. Reality of immigrant life is starkly different and tough, which pulls Giftyโs family apart.
Years later, Gifty turns to science for answers as her faith in God has not explained why her brother succumbed to opioid addiction which eventually destroyed him. But Gifty realizes that she cannot abandon traumas of the past. When her mother comes to stay, she soon learns that there are no easy answers to questions that are not easy to ask.
๐ญThis is an expansive and complex book that tackles so many different themes - drug addiction, depression, religion, science, relationships, belonging, love, loss, grief - all intricately woven into this story and observed through Giftyโs eyes and experiences.
The prose is lyrical yet there is a sense of detachment and control in the way Gifty shifts from childhood stories to her discoveries as a scientist. The reader inhabits how Gifty has hardened to all the traumas she has suffered like โ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐จ๐ช๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ง๐ข๐จ ๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐โ. However, clearly there is a veil of melancholy and almost rage in how Gifty conveys her feelings, guarded yet teetering on the surface looking for meaning.
The switching narrative highlights the dichotomy between religion and science, which donโt seem to marry up but Gifty learns that โ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ง๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐ค๐ค๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐...โ but equally neither provides her with meaning she has been seeking all her life.
In turn, this story becomes quite philosophical and reflective. I canโt help but ponder about what Iโve just read - powerful, emotionally charged and unforgettable.
โ๏ธ Bold, challenging, and visceral read. Everyone will be talking about this book for a long time!
Years later, Gifty turns to science for answers as her faith in God has not explained why her brother succumbed to opioid addiction which eventually destroyed him. But Gifty realizes that she cannot abandon traumas of the past. When her mother comes to stay, she soon learns that there are no easy answers to questions that are not easy to ask.
๐ญThis is an expansive and complex book that tackles so many different themes - drug addiction, depression, religion, science, relationships, belonging, love, loss, grief - all intricately woven into this story and observed through Giftyโs eyes and experiences.
The prose is lyrical yet there is a sense of detachment and control in the way Gifty shifts from childhood stories to her discoveries as a scientist. The reader inhabits how Gifty has hardened to all the traumas she has suffered like โ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐จ๐ช๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ง๐ข๐จ ๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐โ. However, clearly there is a veil of melancholy and almost rage in how Gifty conveys her feelings, guarded yet teetering on the surface looking for meaning.
The switching narrative highlights the dichotomy between religion and science, which donโt seem to marry up but Gifty learns that โ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ง๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐ค๐ค๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐...โ but equally neither provides her with meaning she has been seeking all her life.
In turn, this story becomes quite philosophical and reflective. I canโt help but ponder about what Iโve just read - powerful, emotionally charged and unforgettable.
โ๏ธ Bold, challenging, and visceral read. Everyone will be talking about this book for a long time!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Addiction, Death, and Mental illness