Transcendent Kingdom

This month's Barnes & Noble Book Club selection was Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi and, based on the description, I didn't think that I would like it but I ended up loving it! I really enjoy belonging to a book club because I get a chance to read books that I wouldn't necessarily choose for myself!  Gifty's family emigrated to the United States from a small village in Ghana before she was born but her father went back to Ghana, never to return, shortly thereafter. To cope with her husband's departure, Gifty's mother becomes increasingly more involved with an evangelical church in Alabama. In order to please her mother, Gifty also immerses herself in the church but her faith is tested when her brother dies of an overdose and her mother succumbs to a deep depression. She prays fervently to God for answers about why these hardships have befallen her family but God remains silent. She eventually turns her back on religion and seeks answers from science. As a doctoral student in neuroscience at Stanford University she conducts experiments on the brains of mice to study reward-seeking behavior as it relates to addiction and depression. Even though she has a breakthrough in her research, she still longs for the simple faith she had as a child and realizes that she doesn't need to understand her mother's depression in order to have a relationship with her. The narration alternates between Gifty's memories as a child in Alabama and her experiences as a student at Stanford and I think this is an effective device because her memories of the past keep intruding into the present and they keep her from finding peace. I loved Gifty as a character because, even though her experiences and losses are so heartbreaking, she finds a way to persevere. I also really enjoyed the poignant discussion about religion and how people lose and rediscover their faith.  This really resonated with me and made me confront some of my own issues with organized religion. This novel tackles some major themes such as racism, immigration, addiction, depression, grief, loss, and isolation so it is not easy to read but the prose is absolutely beautiful and the ending is, ultimately, very hopeful. My only complaint is that the ending is a bit rushed. I was hoping that the author would address this in the virtual Q&A on Facebook yesterday but no one brought it up (I need to be braver and ask a question next time). However, I found Gyasi's comments on identity to be fascinating, especially the notion that Gifty's search for answers is the same sort of reward-seeking behavior as her brother's drug use. This novel is definitely thought-provoking as well as emotionally resonant. I highly recommend it!

Note:  The next Barnes & Noble Book Club selection is Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam.  I am really excited to read this because it is a thriller!  The author will be available for a virtual Q&A via Facebook on October 27.  Go here for more information.