Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

249 reviews

vanesst's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Alcohol

chsm8's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Moderate: Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Cursing, Death, Racism, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol

readingwithgoose's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal death

kerrence30's review

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Through flashbacks ranging throughout the life of the protagonist we learn how her various key relationships develop, how it affects her, and eventually, at present day, how they come to conclusion. This story shines a light on the experiences of a first generation family from Ghana moving to the USA, the strong influence and contrasts of religious worship from traditional upbringing to adulthood in Alabama, and dark topics such as addiction, depression and death. 
Concise and emotional, was great to listen to, well read, authentic, heartfelt. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Grief

Moderate: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

hileahrious's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

3.75

A story of the search for meaning. And that, I find, is what makes it feel so relatable, even though the protagonist’s life experiences are nothing like mine. The quest for purpose, especially with the dis/comfort of evangelical religion mixed in, keeps you hooked on what will happen next. But not in a suspenseful way…. simply, as a reader you also become eager to discover if there is refuge for the main character Gifty, because maybe, just maybe, that means you yourself will one day find it as well.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Grief

bearnecessities's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Racial slurs, Grief, and Abandonment

cameronrose00's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book was so thoughtfully written. The story just seemed to unfold as you came to know the characters, especially the main character, Gifty, and her family history as she grapples with it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, and Suicide attempt

There is a lot of difficult relationship between mother and daughter(protagonist). There is also a lot of religious trauma and questioning.

ollie_again's review against another edition

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death and Grief

Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Abandonment

siomaii's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, and Grief

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Death of parent

mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

This book read like a memoir or a stream of consciousness. Like memories pieced together. It was an intimate POV of a first generation experience, of growing up black in the south, of the changing nature of faith and religion, of what it's like to see your family struggle with mental health issues and addiction. You really get to know who Gifty is and what drives her throughout this novel. 

I would recommend this if you're drawn to memoirs or particularly reflective fiction. 

My biggest qualm with this book is that I felt like I was waiting for the book to pick up a plot line that it never did. I also don't read a lot of books this tied up in Christianity, so I may have not been the perfect audience.

The hard cut at the end to her being in a relationship with Han having already experienced her mom's passing felt too sudden for me too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death