Title: Homegoing
Author: Yaa Gyasi
Published By: Penguin Random House UK
Release Date: 2016
Genre: Historical fiction, saga, novel
Format: Paperback
Length: 300 pages
Synopsis
Effia and Esi: two sisters with two very different destinies. One sold into slavery; one a slave trader’a wife. The consequences of their fate reverberate through the generations that follow: from the Gold Coast of Africa to the plantations of Mississippi; from the Missionary schools of Ghana to the dive Bars of Harlem. Spanning continents and generations, Yaa Gyasi has written a miraculous novel – an intense heartbreaking story of one family and, through their lives, the story of Africa itself.
Review
A miraculous novel indeed!
I absolutely enjoyed this book and it stoked the fire in me to read more historical fiction and non-fiction which I’ve always loved!
The plot of this book easily flowed and told heart breaking stories of the characters. I like to think of the entire book as a collection of short stories which although are independent are intertwined by family.
I also loved the fact that each of the chapters were written in third person narrative but centering on each character. It was easy to understand and written according to the time it was set it.
The author did a phenomenal job with research on the Ghanaian history and explored deep themes in this work cutting across racism, discrimination, the trans Atlantic slave trade and domestic slave trade.
The prints in the paperback I bought are tiny and admittedly, some patience is required to read and finish this book. It’s not one of those books you can just start and drop intending to pick up in a couple of weeks. I advice that you read it all at once.
To see my verdict on this book, watch my full book review on the book my clicking on the link below:
Rachel Eyo 