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A review by michelareads
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
Homegoing, debut novel of Yaa Gyasi, is the story of two families across seven generations and the unique perspective of fourteen characters. It all started with two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana: the first one marries an Englishman , the second is imprisoned in a dungeon and gets sold as slave. One thread of Homegoing follows Effia's descendants through centuries of warfare in Ghana, as the Fante and Asante nations wrestle with the slave trade and British colonization. The other thread follows Esi and her children into America.
Homegoing is a very powerful, enchanting and thought-provoking novel: split in fourteen chapters, the author explored hundreds of years of history from the unique point of view of fourteen characters, their hopes and dreams, the adversities they had to face and their victories.
Here you'll find traditions, culture, religious and popular beliefs, superstitions and lots of love, but also a lot of violence, prejudices, abuse. I expected it to be a heartbreaking read, but I was surprised by how heartwarming it was too. I particularly appreciated the female characters in this story: their resilience, how they summon the strength of their mothers and grandmothers to react to the most challenging situations, how they live in the moment but always with an eye to the past and one to the future.
Homegoing is an incredible book, I don't think I can find the right words to describe it and properly review it. It's beautifully written, it's deep and engaging, and it deserves all the stars and the praises it has received. Truly a must-read.
Homegoing is a very powerful, enchanting and thought-provoking novel: split in fourteen chapters, the author explored hundreds of years of history from the unique point of view of fourteen characters, their hopes and dreams, the adversities they had to face and their victories.
Here you'll find traditions, culture, religious and popular beliefs, superstitions and lots of love, but also a lot of violence, prejudices, abuse. I expected it to be a heartbreaking read, but I was surprised by how heartwarming it was too. I particularly appreciated the female characters in this story: their resilience, how they summon the strength of their mothers and grandmothers to react to the most challenging situations, how they live in the moment but always with an eye to the past and one to the future.
Homegoing is an incredible book, I don't think I can find the right words to describe it and properly review it. It's beautifully written, it's deep and engaging, and it deserves all the stars and the praises it has received. Truly a must-read.