Transcendental Kingdom

Yaa Gyasi’s gripping debut novel recounts, with disarming harshness and beauty, the diametrically opposed lives of two half-sisters, Efei and Esi. At the same time, with pure literary magic, she traces the tormented generations that followed them; from the slave markets of the African Gold Coast to the cotton plantations of Mississippi, and from the missionary schools of Ghana to the dark backstreets of Harlem. A heart-rending narrative spanning three continents, three centuries and seven generations, with the sweep of a great American novel. Stunning in its unparalleled language, its relentless sorrow and its high poetry, it portrays in a monumental way the ruthless forces that shape families and nations. A captivating debut that heralded the arrival of a great voice in contemporary literature. First Novel Award: National Book Critics Circle Award Pen/Hemingway Award [Read what Maria Fakinou wrote on our blog about the translation of the book.](https://ikarosbooks.gr/blog/maria-fakinou-metafrazontas-tin-epistrofi-stin-patrida-tis-yaa-gyasi)

Gifty is studying neuroscience at Stanford Medical School, researching the neural circuits of addiction. Her brother, a gifted high school athlete, died of a heroin overdose following an injury that left him addicted to opioids. Her depressed mother is now bedridden. Gifti is determined to use science to confront the pain she sees all around her. Her passion for healing her wounds leads her into the depths of science, yet does not prevent her from seeking her childhood faith in God. A deeply moving portrait of a family of immigrants from Ghana, fighting their own battle with depression and addiction. A luminous, heart-wrenching and redemptive American story, The Transcendental Kingdom is a showcase for a brilliant writer at the start of her career. —Seattle Times [Read what Maria Fakinou wrote on our blog about the translation of the book.](https://ikarosbooks.gr/blog/maria-fakinou-metafrazontas-to-ipervatiko-vasilio-tis-yaa-gyasi)