Reviews with content warning for Slavery - Homegoing

Slow burn at the beginning, but my goodness, once I got to Ness's story, I couldn't put it down! Such an engrossing story that explored the generational trauma that slavery inflicted. It was easy to identify the common familial thread through several generations. It was heartbreaking at times but always hopeful. I would have loved to see each generation more fleshed out for a truly epic novel - I love big books, I can't lie! I'm very ready to Yaa Gyasi's second offering.

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cuartolimon's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

This is one of the best books I’ve read. Yaa Gyasi’s prose is fantastic. She managed to convey the deep wounds of the transatlantic slave trade and how they are still open to this day. I know I’ll never be able to fully understand the pain it caused and continues to cause, however this book managed to make so much of that pain resound. There were moments when I had to close the book and sit with what I had just read, moments when it made me audibly gasp, and of course it also made me cry. I am sure I’ll come back to it at some point.

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lanna2000's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

the stories in this novel rooted in so much truth and history were both impossible to stop reading but also the most difficult read ive finished this year. i felt like i could continue reading every descendants story passed where the book ends. writing everything into 300 pages is masterful and Gyasi storytelling has me wanting to read more. I attached to each character emotionally and the ending characters connecting really tied the whole book together. i think everyone should read this! there are not enough good things to be said so just read it

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victoriaryan89's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad

5.0

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minnow's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.75

A stunning, heartbreaking book. This book follows two branches of a family throughout generations, telling heartbreaking story after heartbreaking story. We see slavery at its peak from the viewpoints of both the slaves and the African slavers, and then we follow the echoes of those experiences through multiple generations. The story is lush and vivid, graphic scenes are delivered with an edge but never go too far.

I deducted a partial star only because there is one storyline that was paced too slowly, in my opinion. I found myself caring a little less about that character and the story dragged in that part. All other storylines were perfectly paced and engaging.

The ending of this story is beautiful, and very satisfying. All in all, a masterpiece of a book.

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