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2020 Group Reads
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Aug/Sept Group Read: Homegoing
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Lulu, The Book Reader who could.
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Jul 13, 2020 07:38AM
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I read the book before, but I will read the book with you all, because I don’t remember what happened.
One of my absolute favorites! Looking forward to rereading with you guys.
I read this too. Another great debut, I believe. I’m looking forward to discussing it.
Lulu wrote: "We will be discussing Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi here. More info to come."To be clear, we are reading THE VANISHING HALF in August, and HOMEGOING in September right ?
Berni that’s my understanding vanishing half First.
I've been curious about this ever since it was published... Hopefully I can manage to join the discussion.
I had difficulty reading Homegoing when it first came out - it seemed depressing from the very start. Maybe reading this with a group will be better. Also, has anyone listened to the audiobook? Would you recommend the audiobook over the physical book? Thanks!
QueenAmidala28 wrote: "I had difficulty reading Homegoing when it first came out - it seemed depressing from the very start. Maybe reading this with a group will be better. Also, has anyone listened to the audiobook? Wou..."When I listen to an audiobook, I find that I need to follow along with the print version, or I will miss a lot of what is going on. I do remember the audiobook being good.
I read the physical book and loved it.
This is one of my all time favorite books. Touches the soul!
Excited to re-read this book and discuss with you all!
I love this book because the imagery is fantastic and I love the history woven throughout. Excited to read this with everyone!
I’m look omg for my copy. Don’t want to purchase it again. We are reading this one in September, right?
Teshy wrote: "This is one of my all time favorite books. Touches the soul!"Me too, Teshy.
This is one of my favorite books. You all will enjoy deeply.
Yes! I really enjoyed this book the first time I read it. I will re read it.
I’m looking forward to it also. I loved it the first time.
I read Homegoing and found the language to be so beautiful. Will enjoy revisiting it with you all.
I was unable to join in on the August read so I'm excited to read this book with you all. This would be my first time joining a group read so I'll keep checking in for updates on when to start. Looking forward to this!
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You can post any questions or comments that you have at any point, just remember to use the spoiler tag.
I'll post "official" discussion questions for part one on 9/13 and part two on 9/27.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Also if you have suggestions for our next group reads (Oct - Dec), please drop me a message!
This book has so many characters and sub-stories to keep track of. I am loving all of them. I am at the 50% mark. What a book. The women in this book have been through some tragic stuff. Whose story stands out the most for you ?
Bernie wrote: "This book has so many characters and sub-stories to keep track of. I am loving all of them. I am at the 50% mark. What a book. The women in this book have been through some tragic stuff. Whose stor..."The woman whose story, stands out the most for me, is Ness. There are no boundaries to be placed, on a mothers love. She went through so much and still kept going. If my answer changes, I will let you know.
The book is amazing. I am halfway through it and I cannot think of only one woman that stands out for me. Each story, has a "stand out" woman among other women, but when her story ends, another "stand out" woman comes along among other women. I may have one singular woman by the end of the book. This is my second reading, the first being a traditional hard copy, and this is an audio. I find the only problem with the audio is that I miss the family tree that I had access to when reading the traditional book.
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We are introduced to a lot of characters, so let’s do a quick recap.
Effia - gets married to a white British officer thanks to the conniving machinations of her stepmother
Esi - half-sister to Effia; she is captured in a rival village revenge raid and is taken into slavery by white British men
Quey - son of Effia; he is a closeted homosexual who gets sent to London by his suspicious father and is then forced into a marriage of convenience by his Uncle
Ness - daughter of Esi; she is a slave on several cotton plantations in America but one master is truly terrible who she calls ‘the devil’. She and her husband and son try to escape in the Underground Railroad.
James – son of Quey; fakes his own death so he can be with the woman he wants and avoid all the unwanted responsibilities being shoved on to him due to his family/station
Kojo - son of Ness; his pregnant wife Anna (and mother of their 7 children) was born free but she was kidnapped
Abena - daughter of James; has an affair with her friend since childhood but he puts off marrying her for so long that when she gets pregnant she decides to leave him and her village to go to join a Christian missionary.
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Effie
1. What are your thoughts on the relationship between Effia and Cobbe? Effia and Baaba? Effia and James? Why do you think it is what way?
Esi
1. What does Maame’s treatment of Abronoma tell you about her? What kind of person is Maame? How does this influence what kind of person Esi becomes?
2. What do you think happens to the black stone Maame gave Esi? What is the significance of the stone?
Quey
1. Why was Quey sent to England? After his return home, why does Quey say that it was safer in England? Why might he feel that what he faces at home is more difficult than the challenges he faced in leaving home and living abroad?
Ness
1. What is the significance of Ness’s name? Where does it come from and what does it say about where she’s from?
2. What is the relationship between Ness and Pinky? Why do you think Pinky decides to stay so close to Ness?
3. Ness has flashbacks to Hell and the Devil - what is Hell to her and who is the Devil as she remembers?
James
1. Why is it so important that James marries Amma Atta? How far back does this go?
2. How has the British presence in Africa affected the lives of the Africans (as reflected in the book so far)?
3. James questions the girl who refuses to shake his hand for being a slaver. But to James, their ancestors had gained power by capturing slaves (96). Does the girl’s ancestry matter in her ability to judge someone else for gaining wealth from the slave trade? How does James’s family history of selling slaves affect him?
Kojo
1. How has growing up away from his parents affected Kojo?
2. Why do you think Kojo decided to stay after hearing Mr. Mathison’s warning? What does it say about Kojo that he made that decision?
3. How does the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act affect the people of Baltimore?
4. What do you think actually happened to Anna?
Abena
1. Why do Abena’s parents forbid her to go to Kumasi? Are they right to do so?
2. Unlucky implies that they are all “responsible” for the slave trading. What does he mean by this? Is he right?
3. What is the relationship between Abena and her parents like? How does her father treat her and how does his treatment of her compare to other father-daughter relationships in the book?
4. What is the relationship between Abena and Ohene Nyarko like? What do you think about his hesitations around marrying her?
5. What do you think about the village’s response to Abena and Ohene Nyarko’s relationship?
6. Why does Unlucky consider himself lucky? Do you agree or disagree with him and why?
7. What do you think of the gift Abena’s father gives her before she leaves? What do you think this gift symbolizes?
Just started my reread. CORRECTED. 10%. Baaba is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was determined to punish her for for the rest of her life.
Cobbe, on the other hand, seems to adore her and regularly tries to protect her fro her mother. This probably makes Cobbe punish Effia even more.
20%. We know now why Baaba was so hateful.
Trudy wrote: "Just started my reread.Cobbe is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was determined to punish her for for the rest of her life.
Baaba, o..."
You have transposed the names. Baaba is the hateful one and Cobbe is the protective father. But I agree. Effia’s abuse at the hands of Baaba was very disturbing.
Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "Just started my reread.Cobbe is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was determined to punish her for for the rest of her l..."
Bernie, thank you so much. Once I realized it, I tried to edit before anyone read it. Didn’t make it. LOL! 😂
So I was struggling to begin rereading this book. I absolutely loved it the first time I read it. I just wasn’t sure I was ready to have my heart broken right now. However after only reading 20%, I am as fascinated as I was the first time I read it. The best part is that I forgotten a lot of it so I get to have that initial experience again. What an amazing writer!
Trudy wrote: "Can someone clear this up for me? I’m up to 23%The house girl[spoilers removed]"
Although the incident, gave her the opportunity to escape, there is nothing that points her out, as the responsible party.
Trudy wrote: "So I was struggling to begin rereading this book. I absolutely loved it the first time I read it. I just wasn’t sure I was ready to have my heart broken right now. However after only reading 20%, I..."Although this was a reread for me, I was not familiar with anything In this book. It’s like I was reading this book for the first time. What a beautifully written, work of art. Each story was so interesting, and so many of them, were filled with heart wrenching drama.
Trudy wrote: "Just started my reread. CORRECTED. 10%. Baaba is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was determined to punish her for for the rest of he..."
It was such a relief for me, to find out the backstory, behind Baaba and Effia’s relationship. (view spoiler)
Trudy wrote: "Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "Just started my reread.Cobbe is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was determined to punish her for for th..."
So many characters to keep to keep track of 😂😂😂😂
Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "Just started my reread.Cobbe is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was determined to punish ..."
Bernie, yes, so many characters and connections. The kindle X-ray is helping me keep them straight.
Where are you in the book?
Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "29%. Ness and Sam[spoilers removed]"[spoilers removed]"
Absolutely!
Trudy wrote: "Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "Just started my reread.Cobbe is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was determ..."
I finished it. I am attempting to discuss, what others bring up, so I won’t move too far ahead.
Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "Just started my reread.Cobbe is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was determined to punish her for for the rest of her l..."
Baaba is a hateful person. I wished for bad things to happen to her for being so mean to a child. Cobbe was not as protective as he should have been. For some reason, I think he knew how evil Baaba could be and didn't prevent enough of it.
Lulu wrote: " Part One Questions Effie
1. What are your thoughts on the relationship between Effia and Cobbe? Effia and Baaba? Effia and James? Why do you think it is what way?
Esi
1. What does Maame’s treat..."
Ness
I really enjoyed reading about the way Ness got her name: Goodness. I thought of it as a soulful defense mechanism built into her existence and a precious gift from her mom. This would only work if she was told how she got her name, but it was a good try.
Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "So I was struggling to begin rereading this book. I absolutely loved it the first time I read it. I just wasn’t sure I was ready to have my heart broken right now. However after only ..."this is a re read for me also and I don't remember anywhere near as much as I thought I would. I'm listening to the audio this second time around - thank goodNess, :-). Had it not been for the traditional first reading, I would be lost. I relied heavily on the family trees in the beginning of the hard copy. I am in Willie's story now and she is amazing, as all of the other women are in their stories. There are some strong genes in these people.
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "Just started my reread.Cobbe is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was determined to punish her for for th..."
I’m not saying Baaba was right, but how do you handle your husband, (view spoiler)
Bernie wrote: "Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Bernie wrote: "Trudy wrote: "Just started my reread.Cobbe is so hateful to Effia from the time of her birth. It’s like she blames the baby for the fire and was deter..."
Dosha, you are so right. Not justifying Baaba at all, but a reminder to once again remember everyone has a story.
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Books mentioned in this topic
Homegoing (other topics)Homegoing (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Yaa Gyasi (other topics)Yaa Gyasi (other topics)
