Book Club 2.0 - - - Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Disclaimer: This post might be a bit shorter, mostly because I am approaching this book with the best and most appropriate lens that I can. My perspective might not be wanted or valued, but I want to get all my thoughts about this book down, because it had quite the impact.

Homegoing is a novel about multi-generational trauma spanning three centuries that is the direct result of colonialism and the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. My graduate class last semester was based around Romantic period poets, abolition and the slave trade, so reading this book right on the heels of my class really helped me to understand the themes, stories and trauma in a more nuanced and in-depth way.

I initially rated this book a 6/10, but after the discussion that we had as the Book Club, I can definitely say that I was mistaken. I would rate this book much higher now. I really think I needed to talk about this book rather than just rely on my initial perceptions and reading. This story that Gyasi wrote is absolutely going to be a book that sticks with us.

Gyasi's story is an interwoven tale of trauma that follows the descendants of two lineages sprouted from the same woman - Maame. Each lineage traces its own set of difficulties, trauma and choices of those who came before them. One line remains in Africa and faces the realities of warring tribes, colonialism and trying to understand a long-standing familial curse. The other line is sold into slavery in America and loses their ties, their history and are forced to deal with the racial injustices carried out in slave-owning and post-slavery America.

One of the big discussions was about the significance or purposed of the black stones that appear throughout the novel. One lineage maintains their stone, while the others' is lost to history. We determined that the stones could symbol a multitude of things: the division of the line; fire vs water; a loss or maintaining of heritage and past; the keeping of belief; and the list goes on. There could be so many interpretations of that one aspect of the novel.

I have so many thoughts about this story that it is hard to put them all into words. I'm sure this book will come up again and again throughout future Book Club meetings as we each contemplate it in the back of our minds. I keep thinking about the choices to include sexual encounters of the characters and the blatant and blunt objectification of female bodies in throughout the stories. Or about the author's choice to follow certain descendants of the lineages. So much to think about.

Absolutely, highly recommending this book to others. In fact, I have already agreed to lend my copy to a fellow student who took last semesters class with me. I cannot wait to discuss it with her afterwards.