Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
This
was a story that I began reading with the most basic of information and a whole
lot of hype. I took my time getting to it. Part of me didn't know if I was
mentally ready to read it, the other part of me didn’t want to be disappointed.
I shouldn't have feared either. This book was amazing, beautifully crafted and
extremely engaging. Homegoing is
about a family separated. Sisters, that never knew each other, and how their
fates would lead their descendants in two completely different directions. One
would stay in Africa. The other a slave in America. But what would become of
their children, and their children's children, and the many after that? This is
a look back at history. This history of a people separated. One side staying home
while the other can only look back unknowingly to a home they never knew.
I've
said before and I'll say it again, writing successful generational stories is
hard. Gyasi though executed it beautifully. Each chapter is centered around a
new character's narrative. The narrative are chronologically told from the
beginning of the slave trade to the 2000s. I loved that she used these distinct
narratives. I loved that she made it easy to follow the family line through the
different narratives. I love the unique storylines which lended itself to
creating the atmosphere of the novel.
I never lost interest in this story! I was
invested throughout. It was such an amazing concept and was so well done. Gyasi
crafted amazing stories and molded these family units in such a way that you become
addicted to learning the outcomes. Her world building and plot development
allowed for time to pass with ease without disconnecting the reader from the
characters or their histories. Gyasi's effort with this novel has to be
applauded. There were moments throughout the book where the social commentary
was so spot on that this became almost heartbreaking. I absolutely loved this
book and highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.
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