Reviews

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

erinwilt's review against another edition

4.0

Not nearly as good as her first book, truthfully was a bit slow for me in the first half / couldn’t figure out where it was going, but came around on it in the second half.

abstab's review against another edition

4.0

great narrative novel about addiction, mental illness, and immigrants. didn’t love all the christianity, but worthy read

aminak17's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-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

4.25

altoleopard's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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

4.75

mysteriesofmar's review against another edition

5.0

it’s official: i will read anything yaa gyasi writes

while there are so many topics discussed and explored in this book, my favorite part was how expertly it was all connected by gyasi without feeling like there was extensive reaching, which really does speak to the interconnectedness of it all. in trying to “reason away” humans, life and nature with science or religion, we forget to take into account humanity and all of its complexity.

amybeth1475's review against another edition

emotional informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

jaclyncrupi's review against another edition

5.0

You guys – it’s as good as HOMEGOING!!! Narrower in scope but oh so so so good. Gyasi asks the most interesting questions in her fiction and then proceeds to answer them in the most delicious prose you will ever read. What a spectacular follow up to HOMEGOING. I am bursting with happiness. Five transcendent stars.

careycarpenter's review against another edition

1.0

I had such high hopes for this book because I loved the author’s other book I read. I didn’t finish this though. The decision to flip back and forth between time and memories from past to present was hard for me to follow. It felt all over the place and I had a hard time keeping straight which point in her life she was talking about. I found that I just wasn’t drawn in by her story. It’s a rambling stream of consciousness book and I liked zero of the characters. There was a lot of Bible in it too. In the end, I was forcing myself to read it because maybe it turned around at some point but then I just didn’t care, so I moved on to the next book.

lep42's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

arekimny's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.5