Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Book Review

I can certainly see why this book is beloved by bookstagram and beyond. ❤️

This beautiful and heartbreaking saga exceptionally captures the joy, sorrow, grief and beauty that defines the fate of one family across eight generations.

Yaa Gyasi’s multi-generational debut novel traces the lineage of two fictional Ghanian sisters across three centuries and two continents. Beginning in Ghana in the 1760s, Effia is married off to an Englishman and takes up residence in the local castle. Meanwhile, her half-sister, Esi - whom Effia doesn’t know exists - finds herself imprisoned beneath the very same castle before she is sold into the slave trade and shipped to America.

Told chronologically, each chapter of the book tells the story of the subsequent generation. Esi’s descendants grow up enslaved in America while Effia’s descendants grapple with colonization and civil war in Ghana. Each character’s story is largely defined by the historical events happening around them - from the American Civil War to the Jazz Age in Harlem.

I initially tried listening to this one on audio, but I had a difficult time keeping track of all the different characters. However, once I switched to reading a hardcopy, I was able to reference the family tree included at the beginning of the book - which made it far easier to follow as each new character emerged. For that reason, I definitely recommend reading (as opposed to listening) to this one if that’s an option for you.

If you enjoy historical fiction or multi-generational stories, I cannot recommend this one enough!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

What’s your favorite multi-generational story??