Homegoing = Patience

 June 2025 DABS Book Club Pick

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a novel that requires patience... and stamina of the emotional kind. The structure, moving from generation to generation, often feels dense and overwhelming at times. There were long stretches where I was not only confused, but also exhausted by the repetition of pain: fathers abandoning children, addiction cycles, trauma, trauma, and more trauma.

The quote "The family is like the forest: if you are outside it is dense; if you are inside you see that each tree has its own position." captures how this book works. From the outside, it can feel impenetrable. But each chapter, each life, each generation, is a tree. And each tree is placed to show you something important.

This book does not offer easy answers. It is not an easy book. It wasn't always enjoyable. But it was powerful.

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