“Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi (Ghana)

Synopsis

Effia and Esi: two sisters with two very different destinies. One sold into slavery; one a slave trader’s wife. The consequences of their fate reverberate through the generations that follow. Taking us from the Gold Coast of Africa to the cotton-picking plantations of Mississippi; from the missionary schools of Ghana to the dive bars of Harlem, spanning three continents and seven generations, Yaa Gyasi has written a miraculous novel – the intimate, gripping story of a vivid cast of characters and through their lives the very story of America itself.

Readers’ reviews

This is a powerful account of the tragic effects of slavery, colonialism and tribal wars. It was a tough read but I really liked how the author portrayed the two lines of the family tree. The alternative narratives introducing the reader to one generation after another were never too long and kept my interest in the unfolding of the story. Even without a main protagonist, I was still curious to find out how each character’s life would unfold. And I liked the ending which left me with a positive note. – Nicola

Offline Read-Along reading list (Nov 2018 – Mar 2019)

Due to a serious health challenge, Nicola was unable to organise live book club meetings for the winter season 2018-2019. Instead, she continued to choose a Book of the Month and joined other readers on our Facebook Discussion Group where they shared their thoughts with her. The books were:

“Lila” by Marilynne Robinson (U.S.)
“It’s Fine By Me” by Per Petterson (Norway)
“The Guru of Love” by Samrat Upadhyay (Nepal)
“Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi (Ghana)

Extra book:

“How to Stop Time” by Matt Haig (U.K.)