41 pages 1 hour read

Transcendent Kingdom

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020

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Summary and Study Guide

Overview

Transcendent Kingdom is a 2020 novel by Ghanaian American writer Yaa Gyasi, whose debut novel, Homegoing, won the 2017 Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award. Narrated by the main character, Transcendent Kingdom tells the story of Gifty, a 28-year-old neuroscience PhD student, and her severely depressed, Ghanaian-born mother. When the latter comes to visit after another depressive episode, Gifty is sparked into a series of reflections on what led her there and the narrative of her family’s collapse. Specifically, she reflects on her brother’s addiction to opioid drugs, which led to his death. Set in the context of her research into reward-seeking behavior, Gifty aims to understand what happened to him. This guide uses the 2020 Penguin Random House edition.

Plot Summary

Gifty is a final-year PhD candidate in neuroscience at Stanford University in California. When the pastor from her hometown in Alabama calls to say Gifty’s mother is depressed again, Gifty invites her mother to stay with her. Her mother’s arrival and awful state lead Gifty to re-examine the story of her childhood and family life. She attempts to understand what has brought them to this point, and if there is any hope of redemption from it.

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