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A review by bridget986
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
2021 Challenge: 1/24
I've been making a conscious effort to consume more, particularly entertainment/art, from creators who are different from myself. I was originally drawn to the book because the blurb had mentioned a woman in graduate school, but I found there was so much more to it that would capture my attention. I was stunned to see that this book tackled issues that I had never read about before presented from the perspective of a young woman who I found to be pretty relatable. I was particularly drawn to the focus on grappling with childhood trauma, dealing with a loved one who suffers from addiction and how that impacts the entire family, and self-reflection on how one's own issues and anxieties can run your life. I could not stop dog-earing passages that spoke to me and felt like I was seeing my own deepest musings and fears reflected back at me. Perhaps a lot of my love from this book stems from how it felt to read about a woman who seemed so much like me, but I don't think it matters. While I myself have never been religious, I still found the conversation about God and church to be interesting. Ultimately, I think out of everything I have ever read, that this is the book that has impacted me the most. I cannot wait to pick up Homecoming and see what else Ms. Gyasi puts out!
I've been making a conscious effort to consume more, particularly entertainment/art, from creators who are different from myself. I was originally drawn to the book because the blurb had mentioned a woman in graduate school, but I found there was so much more to it that would capture my attention. I was stunned to see that this book tackled issues that I had never read about before presented from the perspective of a young woman who I found to be pretty relatable. I was particularly drawn to the focus on grappling with childhood trauma, dealing with a loved one who suffers from addiction and how that impacts the entire family, and self-reflection on how one's own issues and anxieties can run your life. I could not stop dog-earing passages that spoke to me and felt like I was seeing my own deepest musings and fears reflected back at me. Perhaps a lot of my love from this book stems from how it felt to read about a woman who seemed so much like me, but I don't think it matters. While I myself have never been religious, I still found the conversation about God and church to be interesting. Ultimately, I think out of everything I have ever read, that this is the book that has impacted me the most. I cannot wait to pick up Homecoming and see what else Ms. Gyasi puts out!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Child death
Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt