HOMEGOING follows two parallel storylines of half-sisters, Effia and Esi, born in 18th-century Ghana. As Effia is married off to an English colonizer in Cape Coast Castle, Esi is sold to slavery across the Atlantic to America. Spanning 300 years and multiple generations, each chapter focuses on a different descendant of the sisters and the challenges they face in their respective worlds.

One of the central themes is the idea of going home. Primarily the American storyline explores the loss and disconnection that many people of African descent feel from their cultural roots. This notion is reminiscent of THE LOVE SONGS OF W.E.B. DU BOIS (Honorée Fanonne Jeffers) and serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving stories and honoring the past that has been lost, forgotten, or erased. I adore the message that literature has this transformative power to pass down histories of oppressed communities.

HOMEGOING also highlights the brutal reality of slavery and colonization, as well as the impact of the colonizers’ poisons on communities all over the world. Throughout the book, Gyazi depicts how each generation is shattered by violence and trauma and is forced to make devastating choices that have far-reaching consequences for their family.

I’m in awe of Gyazi’s craft in writing this expansive novel in a little over 300 pages, yet still manages to convey heartbreak, loss, and resilience to create a breathtaking tapestry of the African diaspora. HOMEGOING is a tour de force that will go down as a modern classic that everyone should read.