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Adult Fiction, Book Reviews · September 16, 2020

Review | Transcendent Kingdom

Book Review - Transcendent Kingdom

Summary: Transcendent Kingdom

Transcendent Kingdom is Yaa Gyasi’s long-awaited sophomore novel. Her debut, Homegoing was widely read and loved. In this book, Gifty is a PhD student whose research focuses on desire and restraint and how both factors play into addiction and depression. The story follows Gifty’s life from her childhood in Huntesville, Alabama to the present, alternating between several timelines. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted athlete, first playing soccer in his childhood, and then basketball in his teens, until a game injury led to a brush with Oxycontin which eventually spiraled into the opoid addiction that took his life.

Gifty’s mother, a devout Pentecostal christian raised both children as churchgoers, and never fully recovered from her son’s death,. She continues to struggle with major depression. When the book opens, Gifty asks for her mother to be sent to her in the West coast where she lives so that she can care for her while she is depressed. At the center of this book, too, is Gifty’s struggle to reconcile all the traumatic events in her life with her waxing and waning faith in God, as well as with her beloved science.

The Good

In typical Gyasi fashion, this book is compulsively readable. Although I found parts of the story emotionally trying to get through, her writing propels you. The characters in this book are impeccably drawn and by a quarter into the story, the reader has a strong grasp of each character’s qualities and capabilities. Gyasi’s writing is vivid and evocative as she spins this family’s story. Because of the rapidly changing timelines, it feels like you are receiving the story at the foot of an adept storyteller, watching the entire tapestry come together.

As a Christian, I had many feelings about Gifty’s journey with her faith. She goes from being a pious child, moved by God and the spiritual, but also by a powerful inner desire to be good — something that I can identify with myself. But as she learns that faith in God does not shield you from life’s calamities and terribly painful losses, her childhood faith based on emotions alone does not sustain her. Throughout high school and college, she oscillates between being ashamed of her belief in God and being enraged at God. It’s hard not to feel her pain, especially considering some of her discouraging experiences with Christendom.

Like Gifty, her mother is devoted to her faith in God, and I loved seeing the nuance that Gyasi gives this character. We see her as young and courageous, leaving her home country with her firstborn; relentless, as she works to feed her family; strict, but loving as a parent; and then devastated beyond belief as a bereaved mother. Gifty’s brother is another complex, mysterious character. I liked that toward the end, she let us see him as more than a teen addicted to opoids. Finally, I liked reading about Gifty’s research and enjoyed the lab scenes with Han, as well as the way Gyasi writes about Katherine reaching out to Gifty.

Overall: Transcendent Kingdom

Transcendent Kingdom is a brilliant novel about a young woman recovering from several traumatic life experiences. Gyasi’s writing is powerful, haunting, as she delves into the grief of losing a son, a brother, to the ravaging opoid epidemic. The characters in this novel are fleshed out, and the story is as real as it can be. Gyasi also turns her lens on the intersection of faith and science, and the failures and small wins of Christendom. This novel is an ode to growing up as a Ghanaian immigrant in the very white South of the United States — the loneliness, the racial prejudice, the yearning for home, and the feeling of being caught between cultures. A truly arresting work of fiction.


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Transcendent Kingdom
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Have you read this book or Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing? What did you think?

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Posted In: Adult Fiction, Book Reviews · Tagged: addiction, african fiction, faith, set in ghana

About the Author

Afoma Umesi is the founder and blogger at Reading Middle Grade. She's a writer and editor with a deep love for children's literature. Her favorite genre is contemporary realistic fiction, but she'll never say no to a graphic novel. Read More…

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Comments

  1. Torrie @ To Love and To Learn says

    September 16, 2020 at 12:31 pm

    I just got this as my Book of the Month pick, and I’m excited to read it! I think Gyasi is beyond talented, and I loved reading your thoughts on this.

    Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      September 16, 2020 at 1:30 pm

      Oh yay! I hope you enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  2. Carol says

    September 16, 2020 at 1:27 pm

    I just finished this! It reads like a memoir! I still think of it as HER story! I thought the faith aspect was well written…..especially when she references “hearing the knock on her heart” …. Great review!

    Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      September 16, 2020 at 1:30 pm

      It’s funny because I had the same thought the whole time! But I know so little about her personal life. Such a moving book!

      Reply

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Review | Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

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📰 a beautiful graphic novel about speaking the 📰 a beautiful graphic novel about speaking the truth 

This stunning graphic novel follows Cinzia, Avvisi writer’s apprentice living in sunny Sianerra. Cinzia and her mestra write news stories/pamphlets to the city, but not everyone likes when they tell the truth. 

After an edition exposing the ruling family for extortion, cinzia and her mestra are arrested at night and she has to join forces with the princess to fight back against censorship. 

Besides the wonderfully imaginative and powerful storyline, loved the visuals and the diversity representation in this graphic novel. The main character has a bad leg and gets around with a walking stick, which is something rarely depicted in graphic novels (and it’s barely even discussed—it just is!).

Although, this book is closer to fantasy (but without magical elements), it’s set in a Renaissance-style Italian village, so it could work for lovers of realistic fiction too.

Look out for it in November! Have you read this graphic novel? Thoughts? Is it on your radar already?

#graphicnovels #mglit #booksforkids
🩰throwback Thursday - meet one of my favorites 🩰throwback Thursday - meet one of my favorites

Looking for an upper middle grade book about ballet, friendships, and body image? Meet TURNING POINT. 

This book focuses on Monique (Mo) and Rasheeda (Sheeda)’s friendship and how it changes over a summer when both girls are drawn into different pursuits. Mo is off at a ballet intensive with Mila, while Sheeda is stuck at church (with her church “friends”) feeling like she has no life.

At the ballet intensive, Mo comes face to face with her competitive attitude which is fueled by feelings of not “fitting in” with the mostly white, skinny ballet dancers. Even though she makes a couple of friends (who basically lovingly force her to befriend them), she’s insecure at times, afraid to be vulnerable because everything feels so different. On the other hand, Sheeda is desperate for something new. Unfortunately, she falls into a risky situation with Mo’s brother whom she happens to have a crush on.

Paula Chase is one of my favorite writers for this audience and this may be my favorite of hers so far. It’s in the same universe as two of her previous books, DOUGH BOYS and SO DONE but you don’t need to read them in order. 

I’d say her books are great for kids ages 12+
Have you read any books by this author? Which ones are your favorites?

#booksbooksbooks #mglit #bookstagram
🇲🇽Twins on opposite sides I’d seen this b 🇲🇽Twins on opposite sides

I’d seen this book floating around for ages but was never drawn to it (the cover maybe?) until I saw a review somewhere I can’t remember 🤪 I was pleasantly surprised!

Twins Luisa and Fernando find their paths diverging as they’re entering sixth grade. Luisa will be attending middle school in the US just across the border from Fernando’s school in Mexico. There, they come to face to face with different, but equally pressing challenges that threaten to tear them apart.

I really enjoyed this book. The side by side depictions of both kids parallel lives, the way the illustrations celebrate Mexican culture, living, and traditions, and the heartwarming way the twins find their way back to each other. 

I’d recommend this one to 6th graders and up (heads up for content warning: text mentions and depicts illicit drug use by a minor, although portrayed in a negative light) as a fascinating look into Mexican culture, life as a twin, and finding your own identity.

#kidlit #graphicnovels #mglit #booksforkids
♠️ on spades and what it means to be a man An ♠️ on spades and what it means to be a man

Ant isn’t your average 10 year old. He loves a good game of spades and he and his best friend are planning to revamp their reputation after losing badly at the last spades tournament. But things are changing in Ant’s life. His dad is acting weird, asking him to hide things from his mom. There’s a new girl in class who Ant maybe likes and who plays spades better than many boys he knows. 

When his best friend is grounded, Ant teams up with Shirley, hoping to impress his father and finally be tough like Joplin men should be. But instead, he learns what it really means to be a man—and it’s not about never crying.

There’s SO MUCH going on in this story, but the author does a stunning job of keeping all the threads in place. I was very surprised by all the protagonist has to manage at his age and the fact that it all remains believable. The story is told by Ant’s ancestor, lending a touch of magic realism. There are also many details about playing a game of spades and I loved, loved the audiobook narrator.

If you’re looking for a meatier middle grade book perfect for kids ages 9-12 (and older, really—love the cover!) looking for books that balance levity and relatability with real issues like toxic masculinity, parental addiction, friendship issues, and crushes.

#mglit #middlegrade #middlegradebookies #kidlit #booksforkids
❤️ a protagonist for the times Willow (Lolo) ❤️ a protagonist for the times

Willow (Lolo) Weaver’s summer is not going well. Her grandfather has recently died, her grandma isn’t herself and she’s given away her grandfather’s foster dog, Hank. Lolo’s mother is heavily pregnant and Lolo is in summer school because she didn’t do too well in her last exams. On top of that their lake town isn’t a lake town anymore because the lake’s been drained and smells awful now. 

Lolo wants to help her grandmother feel better and she’s convinced that getting back her grandfather’s dog will do the trick. The only problem is that the dog now belongs to someone else. So Lolo gets on Pop’s boat to steal Hank back—only to run into her summer school classmate, Noah (who’s the new dog owner).

I really enjoyed Lolo’s story. It’s strongly reminiscent of classics like Ramona and Lolo’s voice leaps off the pages. The setting is also an unmistakable part of this story and the story feels drenched in summer. My heart went out to Lolo who always feels like she’s the reason why everything’s gone awry. I also laughed plenty at her way of seeing the world. 

This book is perfect for family readalouds especially for kids in grades 3-5. Dog lovers and kids who like a good adventure with a sprinkle of mischief will love it too.

#mglit #summerbooks #booksforelementaryschoolkids #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram
🎸 believe the hype I was very nervous about re 🎸 believe the hype

I was very nervous about reading a book about a kid with cancer, but there’s no better author than Rob Harrell to do this. 

When Ross is diagnosed with a rare lacrimal gland cancer (in his eye), it’s like a new trial for his seventh grade existence. Add to that the fact that his mom died from cancer years before, he’s going blind in one eye, his best friend is moving away soon, and mean kids at school are making terrible memes about his illness and you have a dumpster fire of a year waiting to happen. Or is it?

As heavy as everything I’ve mentioned above sounds, this book is more hopeful than anything else. We follow Ross through radiotherapy and the painful, sad side effects of cancer medications, but also through learning to play the guitar, an unlikely friendship with a school bully, and a closer relationship with his dad.

I especially loved the audiobook version which has fun interdissions featuring Will’s comic alter-ego BatPig (with a different narrator, background jingles and everything). 

I would recommend this book to 6th graders and up looking for funny books with male protagonists. It’s also a great one to hand to kids coping with cancer or chronic illnesses. 

If you’re in the WINK fan club, you just got a new member 😉

#mglit #books #bookstagram
🧽 an engaging, compelling story about addiction 🧽 an engaging, compelling story about addiction recovery

After years of dealing with opioid addiction, Franny’s mom is finally sober and on the right track with a cleaning job and a cozy apartment upstairs from a laundromat. But then she gets in an accident and has to be prescribed opioids again, sending Franny into a frenzy. 

Franny starts doing her mom’s cleaning jobs behind her back — even blackmailing a school rival into working with her — to ensure they don’t run out of money. But she soon learns that worrying about adult problems isn’t her job.

I read this book in one sitting and loved it—as I do everything Sumner writes. Maid for It is an informative, gripping, and accessible middle grade book about living with a parent recovering from addiction. This one is a page-turner.

Sumner does a great job tackling important issues like poverty, classism, and drug misuse and presenting everything in an age-appropriate fashion for middle schoolers. If you’re looking for books about parents with addiction, this is a great pick.

Have you read any books by this author? Which one is your favorite? I think this might be mine 🥰

#bookstagram #kidlit #mglit #bookworm #amreader
🦸‍♂️ a zippy new superhero series with pl 🦸‍♂️ a zippy new superhero series with plenty of charm

What if you woke up to new powers every day? Such is the fate of our protagonist in this graphic novel-prose hybrid (think PIE IN THE SKY format—swipe for photos). Daily, he develops and loses everything from potent superpowers like telekinesis and super speed to cute, but not-so-useful ones like bubbles and speaking cat. He’s even recruited by the city’s superhero to help fight the villains popping up everywhere. The one thing he can’t seem to figure out though is where his scientist mom is.

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Hand this new release to kids ages 8+ particularly if they’re obsessed with superheroes, robots, graphic novels, and love a sensitive, funny protagonist.

#superherobooks #amreading #booksforkids #bookstagram #bookworm
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