A review by siobhanward
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

emotional reflective 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? No

4.0

 Sometimes I grapple with the thought of "maybe if I were religious, all my problems would be solved - would I still be anxious if I trusted that God was taking care of me and had a plan for me?" and then of course realize that no, I'd still have challenges and anxiety and religion probably isn't for me for a host of other reasons. This book, however, really struck a chord with me because Gifty is struggling with a lot of opposing thoughts - that her religion didn't offer the answers and comfort she needed, leaving her to turn to science, but still missing the comfort that religion brought.

Like Homegoing Gyasi created characters that felt so human it's as if you knew them personally. The plot was relatable, even to someone without a religious background, because it was incredibly human. My only real criticism was that the book got repetitive at times, a lot of back and forth to very similar scenes, which was not always as effective as I think Gyasi wanted it to be. 
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