Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

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When I think Historical Fiction, I’m afraid my immediate thoughts jump to the Kirstin Hannahs
Rating: 4🌟
 and Kate Quinns of this world, which while I have read a few (heavy on the few), I cannot say I quite enjoy. It then goes without saying that when Homegoing was winning all the awards in the latter half of the 2010s, I did not feel the nudge to engage. Though I must add that my genre of choice was primarily psychological thrillers at the time.

Now I’m not sure if it’s age or whatever they say about the cerebral cortex developing, but I’ve been gravitating a lot towards historical fiction lately. Tebs gifted me a copy of Homegoing as a parting gift when I changed jobs and I am rather ashamed to only discover now, how well Yaa Gyasi’s coat of accolades fits - not that I had any doubts before. I also cower when I realise how little I know on African History beyond the little borders of South Africa, so I am grateful for the pieces I can pick up in fiction. (Unrelated, learning more about Zimbabwean history was my favourite part of An Angel’s Demise by Sue Nyathi.)

Nevertheless, in Homegoing we follow the story of two Ghanaian half sisters and the vast differences in their lives even though they stem from the same pod, the ripple effect of the wars that shaped their lineage and the movement from Ghana to America, villages to mines and even castles to dungeons. The book is an experience and one that everyone should do themselves the service of walking through. 


                                                     

Comments

  1. Hlela14 September 2026 at 13:39

    I’ll come back once I’m finished! I promise

    ReplyDelete

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