Continuing our
Black History Month fiction theme, this week’s book of the week is Homegoing by
Yaa Gyasi.
This novel is
about two African sisters and their subsequent stories over six generations
starting in the 1700s. Unaware of each other's existence, Effia lives in Ghana, West Africa married to a white slave trader and Esi is sold into slavery ending up in
America. Each chapter is about the next generation, alternating between the two
sisters’ families. I loved the characters in each mini story and very often was
left wanting to know more - a mark of good writing! If you like short stories
this is definitely the book for you. The last two chapters on the last two
characters, Marcus and Marjorie bring the story right up to the current day
when the two sides of the family finally meet having no idea that they are
distantly related. Fascinating book!
Mrs Godden