indahmarwan's reviews
112 reviews
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
5.0
I. can’t. believe. it!
A debut novel can be this stunning!
Homegoing is portrays a long history of colonialism and slavery in Ghana and America. The story begins with a two half sisters from different villages, Effia and Esi, in 18th century Ghana. They both exist in contrasting fate. Effia marries an Englishman and lives in a castle called Cape Coast Castle where beneath it Esi is imprisoned with thousands other into the Gold Coast slave trade. Two different storylines for each sister finally lead to their children and grandchildren in America. This amazingly covers a three-century historical events such as Asante and Fante struggle against slavery and colonisation to Southern America plantation, Civil War, Great Migration, coal mines in Alabama to the present day.
Reading this book has made me learn so much of the history of Ghana colonisation and America slavery and black. Ya Gyasi has an unquestionable talent to encapsulate the history within 300ish pages with twelve fascinating characters in it. Yes, this book reveals the horrors of slavery and colonialism: violence, murder, and sexual assault, and those might be disturbing to some. The character in each chapter flashes in the storylines and can causes to confusion but the family tree is provided in the beginning of the book if you need a reference. All the flaws are put aside with the astonishing debut and we have to hear the voice of the suppressed, “the other side” of history.
I can’t recommend this book enough to everyone who loves historical fiction, wants to learn about Ghana to America slavery period.
A debut novel can be this stunning!
Homegoing is portrays a long history of colonialism and slavery in Ghana and America. The story begins with a two half sisters from different villages, Effia and Esi, in 18th century Ghana. They both exist in contrasting fate. Effia marries an Englishman and lives in a castle called Cape Coast Castle where beneath it Esi is imprisoned with thousands other into the Gold Coast slave trade. Two different storylines for each sister finally lead to their children and grandchildren in America. This amazingly covers a three-century historical events such as Asante and Fante struggle against slavery and colonisation to Southern America plantation, Civil War, Great Migration, coal mines in Alabama to the present day.
Reading this book has made me learn so much of the history of Ghana colonisation and America slavery and black. Ya Gyasi has an unquestionable talent to encapsulate the history within 300ish pages with twelve fascinating characters in it. Yes, this book reveals the horrors of slavery and colonialism: violence, murder, and sexual assault, and those might be disturbing to some. The character in each chapter flashes in the storylines and can causes to confusion but the family tree is provided in the beginning of the book if you need a reference. All the flaws are put aside with the astonishing debut and we have to hear the voice of the suppressed, “the other side” of history.
I can’t recommend this book enough to everyone who loves historical fiction, wants to learn about Ghana to America slavery period.