readingwithkt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Trafficking, Drug use, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Racism, Abandonment, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Bullying, Child abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Addiction, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Slavery
kkocik's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Torture, Alcoholism, Body horror, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Grief, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Slavery, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Death, Violence, Trafficking, Abandonment, Self harm, and Sexual assault
stvnh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
Graphic: Slavery, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Sexual content, Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Sexual assault, War, Child abuse, Violence, Racism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Torture, Excrement, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Infertility, Ableism, Gun violence, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Addiction, Drug abuse, Death, Child death, Vomit, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Bullying, Mental illness, Abandonment, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, and Racial slurs
Minor: Car accident, Police brutality, and Hate crime
rmperash's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Infidelity, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Trafficking, War, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, and Suicide
sofipitch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Trafficking, Racism, Mental illness, Colonisation, War, Drug abuse, and Confinement
priyanka13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, War, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Child death, Colonisation, Addiction, Death, Drug use, and Excrement
franzi_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Colonisation, Kidnapping, Racism, Slavery, and War
Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Police brutality
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
lianne_rooney's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Addiction, Rape, War, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Physical abuse, Mental illness, and Abandonment
vaniavela's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The novel explores the slave trade and shows us life in Ghana at the time. Through 14 perspectives, we explore America's and Ghana's relationship with slavery.
I loved the depth of the characters in each chapter. The lives of each descendant is complex, being brutally affected by the events of the time, or those that happened to their ancestors. Gyasi only uses twenty pages for each generation, but she fills their stories with detail, allowing us to learn about them. My only wish would be to read more of the characters; when I became attached to one, we would switch to another, and it was sad. Also, at first I was confused when the narration jumped to the sister's descendant, but as I read, I picked up the format.
It is hard to believe that this is Yaa Gyasi's first novel. Everything is portrayed in minute detail, the violence and events are acutely depicted, and the characters are well written. Undoubtedly a moving book.
cw: child/domestic abuse, chattel slavery, racism, racial slurs, whipping, rape/sexual assault, suicide, IV drug use (heroin), colonialism, lynching, beating, violence, war, incarceration, police brutality, mental illness, whipping.
Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Drug use, Rape, Suicide, Violence, and War
Minor: Mental illness
mya_jt's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Addiction and Mental illness