Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Transcendent Kingdom, by Yaa Gyasi

68 reviews

flashandoutbreak's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.75


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meaglovesbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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

3.75


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sunshineinabag's review against another edition

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challenging emotional 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

5.0


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jenmcreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

3.75


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jmoke's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5


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yeimyaileen's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book wrecked me the whole way through.  I feel everything right now.

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chaos_fairy's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The story explores the apparently incongruous viewpoints of science and religion, both central to the development of main character, Gifty. Born to Ghanaian immigrants in Alabama, Gifty is raised in an Evangelical tradition by her mother, and as an adult, works in researching neuroscience out of Stanford University. From a family of four, to a family of two. Where the missing family members have gone is revealed in time, but from the outset it is clear that Gifty has had her share of childhood trauma. 

Gifty uses religion and science in very similar ways, though at different stages of her life. Both, for her, are refuges from a world in which she feels powerless; both, she turns to for answers to some of the most difficult questions. 

It takes time for Transcendent Kingdom to move from an interesting array of snippets from Gifty’s past and present to the engaging and thought-provoking heart, but once you get there, there’s so much to unpack. Much like Gifty herself. 

The story includes starkly honest representations of substance abuse, addiction, depression, abandonment and grief, and how the human - mind, soul, brain - strives to process and overcome these hardships. At times overtly religious or loaded with scientific jargon, it is never alienating. It is simply the world as Gifty strives to understand it.

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aolfes's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-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

Yaa Gyasi strikes gold (again)

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sakisreads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

This book was BRILLIANT. I had seen it on the bookstores’ bookshelves and always thought to pick it up, but never gave myself the chance to read it until now. Gifty is a gorgeous character, with so much nuance, and I loved being able to feel her energy throughout the book. Although I am not religious, I could appreciate how she saw God as an integral part of her life and even as she moved into her idyllic world, they were still there. 
SpoilerThroughout the book, I felt the pain of Nana’s overdose and of her mum feeling/having (?) anhedonia (the inability to feel pleasure), so it made me tear up so much when she finally found her joy in Hans and found a partner who could know her and understand her 🥹
I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who’s not yet picked it up! There were so many incredible quotes as well. ❤️✨

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barbarella85's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25


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