This debut has been dubbed ‘one man’s search for belonging’ but it was so much more than that in the best way. I went in expecting Elom’s story but I also saw just as much of his sister and his parents on the pages. This is a family oddyssey set across Ghana and Scotland that is written with tenderness and quiet love. We meet the family in the aftermath of tragedy in Scotland but then we are swiftly taken back to Ghana to see how Elom’s parents met and fell in love. Selali Fiamanya explores relationships with an eagle eye. From seeing how Abena and Kodzo navigate their love through migration and parenthood to examining how their relationship with home, employment and purpose changes over the course of their lives, we see a deep and unwavering love. This love is felt across the whole family but the author’s use of multiple perspectives allows us also to see how this love is miscommunicated and misconstrued by each of them, leading to fractured relationships and difficult situations.
This book is painfully sad, deeply moving and full of heart. Most of all, I think it is an important read in terms of understanding familial intricacies and all sides of the human condition. In this way, it is vulnerable debut and one that stuck with me long after the last page.
Reviewed by Abi
Published on 27/02/25 by HarperCollins
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