RaveThe Pittsburgh Post-GazetteWhile in nearly every chapter the book introduces a new generation, I came to care for each of the characters more deeply through these detailed snapshots of their lives. Initially, the book was an uncomfortable read, because I feared it would all be set in the 1700’s, and because slavery is a heartbreaking subject. However, the more I got to know the characters the more invested I became in their stories. Although I continued to feel sorrow, I fell in love with their wit, their romances, and their temporary joys ... The story also has major black feminist vibes. It grants agency to strong female characters and discounts hypermasculinity by allowing men to be vulnerable. If books are about exploring the human condition, then Homegoing is a great lesson in empathy ... Ms. Gyasi’s style is beautiful and poetic. Diction changes during the narration to represent differences in age, backgrounds and struggles with language barriers. ”Homegoing” has been told through the eyes of well-rounded characters, so that in discussing grand sociopolitical issues we never lose sight of the fact that they affect people’s everyday experiences.
