"I had become my mother in so many ways that it was hard to think of myself as a person district from her, hard to see my shut bedroom door and not imagine that, one day, it would be me on the other side."

Yaa Gyasi, why you gotta play me like this? This short book packs a HUGE punch. Transcendent Kingdom has two major themes, and both of them spoke to me on a deep, deep level. They weave together in this incredible way, all presented in the author's trademark lush writing. On one hand, we've got the journey of reconciling science and religion, which is underpinned with a discussion of Blackness in academia that is just *chefs kiss*. On the other, the most heart-breaking portrayal of a family suffering from the ravages of addiction and major depression, in the context of the author's usual, but no less impactful, exploration of the immigrant experience. And if you think that's enough heartbreak for one protagonist, don't forget about systemic racism! I read this book in one sitting. And it BROKE ME.