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Portrait of Yaa Gyasi
Debut Novel · August 2025

Yaa Gyasi

Homegoing · Historical

The Marginalia
Homegoing
Yaa Gyasi
Cover of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Book summary

Two half-sisters in 18th-century Ghana set in motion 300 years of family history. A club-favorite historical pick — our members spent a full month with Homegoing, unpacking its structure, its heart, and the questions it leaves behind.

Comments · 9,909

M
Marcus Merrick4/1/2026

This is the pick that made me rejoin the club, honestly. Every scene has a door in it. Someone in chat pointed that out and I lost my mind. Would happily do a re-read discussion next year.

❤️ 179

B
Bennett Quill3/31/2026

Perfect winter read. Or summer. Or any month, apparently. The dialogue is doing about four jobs at once. Bumping the author's backlist to the top of my stack.

❤️ 209

S
Simon Bramble3/29/2026

This is the pick that made me rejoin the club, honestly. The secondary characters carry more weight than they get credit for. Thanks to everyone who posted here — made the read twice as good.

❤️ 219

M
Maeve Marsh3/28/2026

Our little side-thread on the middle section was the best part of the month. It's a quiet book with a very loud ending. One of my favourites from the archive.

❤️ 179

J
Jonah Merrick3/27/2026

This is the pick that made me rejoin the club, honestly. Every scene has a door in it. Someone in chat pointed that out and I lost my mind. Still thinking about that final line.

❤️ 209

E
Eleanor Sinclair3/27/2026

Our little side-thread on the middle section was the best part of the month. Structurally it reminded me of last spring's pick, but warmer. Solid four stars, and a full five for the ending.

❤️ 179

M
Miles Bramble3/25/2026

This is the pick that made me rejoin the club, honestly. The secondary characters carry more weight than they get credit for. Five stars from me.

❤️ 209

S
Sadie Marsh3/25/2026

Our little side-thread on the middle section was the best part of the month. It's a quiet book with a very loud ending. Already lent my copy out twice.

❤️ 169

M
Marcus Rathbone3/23/2026

Finished this one in two sittings and I'm still turning the last chapter over. The secondary characters carry more weight than they get credit for. Would happily do a re-read discussion next year.

❤️ 219

B
Beatrix Calloway3/21/2026

The structure is the argument here, and I don't think I clocked that until the discussion. I loved how little it explains itself. Bumping the author's backlist to the top of my stack.

❤️ 169

O
Opal Ashcroft3/29/2026

Second read for me, and it's a different book the second time. Whoever flagged the recurring water imagery — thank you, I can't unsee it now. Solid four stars, and a full five for the ending.

❤️ 23

U
Ulysses Hartley3/28/2026

I annotated so heavily the margins ran out. There's a generosity in how the author treats even the awful characters. Still thinking about that final line.

❤️ 52

P
Priya Nightingale3/29/2026

Second read for me, and it's a different book the second time. I loved how little it explains itself. Already lent my copy out twice.

❤️ 13

E
Elias Fairweather3/28/2026

I annotated so heavily the margins ran out. The pacing wobbles in the third quarter but the payoff earns it. Five stars from me.

❤️ 52

B
Bennett Quill3/28/2026

Perfect winter read. Or summer. Or any month, apparently. The dialogue is doing about four jobs at once. Bumping the author's backlist to the top of my stack.

❤️ 52

Q
Quentin Hartley3/28/2026

I annotated so heavily the margins ran out. There's a generosity in how the author treats even the awful characters. Would happily do a re-read discussion next year.

❤️ 23

M
Maeve Marsh3/27/2026

Our little side-thread on the middle section was the best part of the month. It's a quiet book with a very loud ending. One of my favourites from the archive.

❤️ 23

S
Simon Bramble3/26/2026

This is the pick that made me rejoin the club, honestly. The secondary characters carry more weight than they get credit for. Thanks to everyone who posted here — made the read twice as good.

❤️ 62

O
Opal Quill3/26/2026

Perfect winter read. Or summer. Or any month, apparently. The dialogue is doing about four jobs at once. Solid four stars, and a full five for the ending.

❤️ 62

C
Clara Linden3/28/2026

I came in skeptical and left completely won over. The pacing wobbles in the third quarter but the payoff earns it. Still thinking about that final line.

❤️ 52