The Rest of You: A Hopeful Black British Family Drama of Friendship, Trauma, and Healing

by Maame Blue

An internationally award-winning writer makes her triumphant American debut in this emotionally powerful story—a potent blend of Queenie and The Vanishing Half—about a woman’s journey to uncover a foundational family secret from a childhood she does not remember.

On the cusp of thirty, Ghanaian Londoner Whitney Appiah was born with a special gift. The massage therapist can physically sense where her clients’ trauma lies and heal them. But Whitney has no idea that she too, is suffering. Tragic events from her youth have left a terrible, unseen mark. When a dangerous encounter with the man she’s dating triggers a wave of fragmented recollections, Whitney embarks on a journey to reclaim her memories and the truth that is buried deep in her early years growing up in Kumasi, Ghana during the 1990s.

Spanning three decades, told through the viewpoints of Whitney, sisters Gloria and Aretha, and their house help Maame Serwaa, The Rest of You explores what happens when we try to move forward through the lacuna of our past.

A strikingly original novel inspired by the Twi proverb of Sankofa: looking back in order to move forward, The Rest of You is a story of generational healing, what it means to be Black British, and surviving familial migrant journeys. Tackling darkly serious themes yet full of hope and optimism, and told with an eye towards the future, Maame Blue’s extraordinary tale is an unforgettable celebration of womanhood, friendship, and family.

Genres: Fiction, Ghana, Africa, Audiobook, Race

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 8, 2024

About the author

Maame Blue is a Ghanaian-Londoner, creative writing tutor and author of two novels; 'Bad Love', which won the 2021 Betty Trask award, and 'The Rest Of You' due for publication in October 2024 with Verve Books (UK) and Amistad Books (US). Her short stories have been published in 'Joyful, Joyful' (Pan Macmillan), 'Not Quite Right For Us' (Flipped Eye Publishing) and 'New Australian Fiction 2020' (Kill Your Darlings). Maame is a recipient of the 2022 Society of Authors Travelling Scholarship and was a 2022 POCC Artist-in-Residence. She contributes regularly to Royal Literary Fund publication Writers Mosaic and The Bookseller Magazine, and her writing has appeared in many places including Refinery29, Black Ballad and The Independent. She teaches creative writing at City Lit, Faber Academy and Arvon.

Reviews

[Sunny Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

TW: SA & DV. Butter Honey Pig Bread meets The Death of Vivek Oji in terms of narrative of family and multigenerational secrets and trauma (the former) and the tangential discussion of queer identity and a sort of distanced writing style that plays with narrative form just a tad (the latter.) The alternating timelines and perspectives, as well as the usage of the second person voice, felt a little jarring at times. The tight knit trio of friends all dealing with their own shit, from domestic violence to grief, was somehow both a more interesting and less dramatic in narrative than the parts of the book set in Ghana in the 90s. Overall, an interesting and readable little book! But I think the comp titles are superior reads.

[Letitia | Bookshelfbyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25✨

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dual time line across both Ghana and London, with 2 generations and their lives and stories.
The London timeline is set in the present day and follows Whitney as she turns 30 years old and is still trying to find her place in the world. She moved to London as a toddler and doesn't know much different.
The Ghana timeline follows Gloria, her sisters and baby Whitney and the trials they go through as a family looking after their orphaned niece, Whitney.
I really enjoyed this story, I liked the dual timeline and enjoyed the story. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt and some of the lose ends are left to the reader to work out, but overall I would recommend. It was well written and the characters were interesting and all had different personalities.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Rest of You" centers on the life of Whitney Appiah, a Ghanian Londoner who recently turned 30. She left Ghana as a child with her aunt, Momma Gloria, and was raised under the care of her extended family as her mother died in childbirth and her father passed away only several years earlier. Like many 30-somethings, Whitney has struggled to find her place and her identity; we follow her complicated and ever-changing friendships with Chantelle and Jak, and her work as a massage therapist. She's been gifted with the unique ability to sense and pull out her client's underlying traumas - all while still in the dark about her own.

The story alternates between the present and past, skipping back to Kumasi, Ghana in the 1990s and is told from the perspectives of sisters Gloria and Athena, as well as Maame Serwaa, the Sarpong family's hired help. From them, we learn of Tina Sarpong's unfortunate passing, and how Bobby, Whitney's father, was determined to still be a good father and part of the family - and his own unexpected passing and the suspicious events around his death, which young Whitney was present to witness. These lay the groundwork for Whitney's own story and become an essential part for her own reconciliation with her family and herself.

Maame Blue tackles a lot of heavy topics in this novel, including the themes of trauma and grief, the weight of family, and identity and self-discovery. I was initially a little thrown off by Whitney's perspective, as it's written in second person perspective, while the rest are told from third-person; it's not frequently used, but helped emphasize Whitney's own disconnect from herself and her identity. There's a number of events from the past that are revealed slowly and in the present, but the delivery of it was confusing and even towards the end, there were a number of open questions that weren't fully addressed. I struggled with the pacing as well; the novel is very much character-driven, and many passages are spent in memory or rumination, so it felt sluggish at times.

While I appreciated the themes of "The Rest of You", the execution of the writing did have its gaps for me.

Thank you Amistad Publishing for the ARC of this novel!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maame Blue's The Rest of You explores generational trauma, identity, and the nuances of womanhood in the Black British experience with a poignant touch. Through Whitney and the women in her life, we’re drawn into a world shaped by family bonds and deep-seated secrets, moving between her present life in London and childhood memories in Ghana, spanning three decades of personal and shared history.
Blue navigates themes of grief, trauma, and immigration with sensitivity, celebrating resilience and the power of female relationships. Whitney, a massage therapist attuned to others' pain yet haunted by her own, emerges as a layered and complex character. Though the alternating perspectives and timelines enrich the narrative, they sometimes feel disjointed and pulled me out of the story’s flow.
While The Rest of You is ambitious and thematically profound, some plot points feel unresolved, leaving me wanting more clarity. The introspective tone, while intimate, can also feel slow at times. Still, Blue’s novel offers a thoughtful reflection on identity, healing, and migration.
Thanks Verve Books for the advanced copy.

[Charis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I think if I was in the right headspace to read this book, I would’ve rated it higher. In saying that, this is an incredible, layered and deeply moving story of sisterhood, generational trauma, and culture. I enjoyed the different perspectives over 3 decades from Whitney, Aretha, Gloria and Maame Serwaa, especially only having Whitney’s chapters written in second person. Though it was a very heavy read, it was also insightful and eye-opening, and I enjoyed learning about Ghanaian culture and following the women through their stories.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rest of You by Maame Blue is a reflective and moving story about identity, love, and the ties that shape us. I appreciated how the characters’ lives unfolded across different places and moments, always coming back to questions of belonging. The writing is lyrical and quietly powerful, drawing you into each scene with care. Some parts felt slower, but they added to the depth of the story. It’s a memorable read.

[Uzoamaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really understand this book. A lot of incomplete circles/ stories you'll have to figure out. I enjoyed the multi-year narrative but thought this was to fill in the gaps which it did not. A lot of confusion when it ended as it came rather abruptly. Maybe I need a minute to re-read or mull over what Ive read but really unsure.

[Tahntara · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You didn’t understand the depth of the thing until later, how not saying your own name properly meant you might always wonder who you were,in the fullness”

“You could drip all over the flat and watch the puddles dry in your wake, comforted that there were still traces of you that could be evidenced, seen with your own eyes.”

“You loved this woman in a way that told you she was kin, and with that familiar attachment, you had inserted a distance that you were used to with family.”

“… a moment of searching each other’s faces – her for the past, you for your future.”

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young woman grapples with repressed childhood trauma in a family of secret-keepers steeped in patriarchal practices. On the surface, Whitney exemplifies Gen Z – she is besties with her roommate, works part-time as a masseuse while trying to figure out the challenges of both love and life. Her mother died in childbirth, so she was raised by her maternal Aunt, Gloria, who fled with her to London at an early age under suspicious circumstances surrounding her father’s death. The “mystery” of the novel is Whitney’s suppressed memories that manifest as panic attacks, nightmares, etc. It is via alternating chapters from her two maternal aunts, that one can deduce the source of the trauma – yet no one tells Whitney – instead she’s misled for years with a “cover” story, of sorts.

This is a character-driven novel - so be prepared to spend a lot of time with her interacting with friends and inside Whitney’s head where more questions are asked than answered. While the reader deduces the source of trauma early on, the breadth of the novel is Whitney’s realization of the truth – and for me, it was a tedious, overwrought journey. It’s great for those who are interested in mental health, childhood trauma, the effects of patriarchy and its shaping of family.

Thanks to the publisher, Amistad, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

[Miracle Meryll · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
The Rest of You is a poignant and emotionally charged novel that delves into the complexities of family, trauma, and identity. The narrative alternates between the present day and the years 1995 to 1996. Maame Blue masterfully weaves a story that spans three decades, exploring themes of generational healing, the Black British experience, and the impact of familial migrant journeys.

The novel is told through the perspectives of Whitney, her Maa Gloria, Auntie Aretha, and their house help Maame Serwaa. Each character is richly developed, offering unique insights into their lives and the shared history that binds them. Whitney’s journey of self-discovery is particularly compelling as she navigates the complexities of her past and present.

The story follows Whitney Appiah, a Ghanaian Londoner with a unique gift as a massage therapist who can sense and heal her clients’ traumas. However, Whitney is unaware of her own deep-seated wounds from a tragic past in Kumasi, Ghana. As she approaches her thirties, a dangerous encounter triggers fragmented memories, prompting her to uncover the hidden truths of her childhood.

While I found the plot and the revenge aspect of the story not fully developed, I can truly say that I enjoyed reading this book. The melancholic tone, especially from Whitney’s point of view, deeply affected me. One challenge I faced was the use of third-person narration in both the past and present, but in different ways. However, this did not diminish the impact of the book for me.
The sorrowful storytelling, Whitney’s sense of loss, Maa Gloria and Auntie Aretha’s unwavering dedication to their family, and Maame Serwaa’s love for her found family are elements that resonated with me.

If you are looking for a striking literary fiction novel with deep emotional resonance and cultural richness that celebrates womanhood, friendship, trauma, and family, you should read this one.
Big thanks to VerveBooks for providing me with an ARC of this novel. The Rest of You will be released on October 29, 2024.

[Haxxunne]

An ambitious novel on memory, selfhood and Black British identities

In a golden age of Black British fiction, Black writers continue to push at the boundaries that the publishing and bookselling industry would put on them. The Black Man's struggle, sistahood, Auntie culture, animistic mysticism: from the outside, these look like some of the hallmarks of Black Western fiction (I include the expectation of Black American fiction here), but what Maame Blue does in her latest book is to test what these things mean from within.

The struggle for empowerment, to own your choices in a world where you are othered, is at the heart of this novel, above all for Whitney, whose narrative is told in second person past tense, as if the story is being told to her even as we read/hear it. The distance is deliberate: in the opening chapter, we discover exactly what her personal trauma is or, at least, what she thinks it is. It's not until the very close of the book that we get confirmation of why it means so much more, that her trauma was born a generation ago, in the wake of family loss.

Without giving anything away, fairy tales often begin with the loss of a parent, or an unapologetic beginning with a lone parent. With that loss comes a yearning, a need, to fill an invisible, intangible gap; but how much bigger is that loss, that need, when both parents are gone? And this is where wider family steps in, in this novel Whitney's aunts and her absentee grandfather, but also Whitney's chosen family, her besties, otherwise known as magical donors in fairy tales, and a sisterhood of shared experiences, both good and bad.

The novel alternates between Whitney's distanced narrative in the present, and the voices of the women who raised her from birth, her aunts and their house help, which forces the novel into a super tight world, with the cities merely sketched in and the men as walk-ons, which is what the novel and its narratives need.

Three stars, for the ambition.

[books4chess · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This one will be the last burden I carry for you. It is well."

TW: rape, sexual assault, murder, grief.

The Rest of You is a beautiful two generational tale following Ma Gloria from Ghana to London, with her niece Whitney/Bobo, in tow. As their pasts are recounted in tandem to the reader, shared patterns arise of repeated sorrow, loss and suffering.

“You loved this woman in a way that told you she was kin, and with that familial attachment, you had inserted a distance that you were used to with family”.

There is much to love about the story, from the very fresh take on a diaspora story to the successful contrasting of two characters who go on to have so little in common. Yet for me, the highlight of the story was the writing. The way in which Blue develops her characters, and manages to perfectly articulate their emotions in difficult times is a skill I rarely see, and I lapped up every word.

“Your words sounded like attacks because that's what they were. You felt untethered, and the only thing around you to roughly grab hold of was Chantelle. You knew it wasn’t fair that your upset with life was separate from your judgement of her relationship, but now it was al mixed together in an ugly soup, and you were in the thick of it”.

There’s a healthy amount of female joy, familial love and Ghanaian culture sprinkled within the story which really enhances the reader experience but this book isn’t for the faint hearted, with heartbreaking scenes around every corner (starting only five pages in). As a lover of sad lit, I’ve recommended this to everyone. But take care to consider the TW before embarking on this turbulent journey.

“She was the mountains toppling, and who were you to control the sea?”

Thank you Verve Books for the gifted copy to join the book tour!

[Bahar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maame Blue's The Rest of You follows Whitney Appiah, a Ghanaian Londoner nearing thirty. Whitney's journey starts after a dangerous encounter with her boyfriend triggers forgotten memories from her childhood in Kumasi, Ghana, during the 1990s.

The novel masterfully blends themes of generational healing, Black British identity, and the complexities of womanhood. Spanning three decades, the story is told through multiple viewpoints—Whitney, her sisters Gloria and Aretha, and their house help, Maame Serwaa. Through these perspectives, Blue expertly explores generational trauma and the immigrant experience, especially elaborating on the Black body and womanhood.

A standout theme is how trauma manifests in the body. Whitney's ability as a masseuse to sense clients' trauma underscores how our bodies carry untold stories. The author portrays the immigrant experience and family secrets, showing how confronting the past can lead to healing.

The ending of The Rest of You didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It confirmed suspicions I had long held, but I was left wanting more—more details, deeper exploration of motivations. It felt somewhat unresolved, leaving key aspects hanging in the air. While some readers might find this ambiguity powerful and intense, for me, it detracted from the overall satisfaction of the conclusion.

Despite its flaws, I found The Rest of You to be a compelling read with thought-provoking themes that really struck a chord with me. It's the kind of book that stays with you, despite its imperfections, and I think it deserves a reflective 3.5-star rating, which I'm rounding up to 4 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this book's digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Knižný (Valéria Scholtzová) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maame Blue is a Ghanaian-Londoner and an internationally award-winning writer. Her newest book “The Rest of You” is a powerful story of a Ghanaian Londoner, Whitney Appiah, a masseuse with magical hands. She seems to be on the edge of her life. She has two friends, Chantelle and Jak, who seem not to speak to each other, but to Whitney. In this part we can see contemporary London.

Whitney knows a part of her memory is missing. While being intimate with her boyfriend, he violates her boundaries, which leads to parts of her lost memories coming back. Whitney desperately wants to learn what happened during her early years in Kumasi, Ghana. These parts are written in the second person past tense. This technique feels like you should be present in the story, but the story itself is kind of distant.

The story is told through multiple viewpoints. Besides Whitney, there are also her aunts, Gloria and Aretha Sarpong, and their house help, Maame Serwaa. The past, mid-90s in Ghana, is told in the third person past tense and shows the cruel destiny of Whitney's relatives. We also encounter a little bit of magical realism, as there is a dark legend told about the Sarpong family.

This book inspects trauma at different levels. Living through something terrible keeps not only your memories and psyche hostage, it also takes a toll on your body. Here, we explore generational trauma, the life of women and what it means to be black and British.
The ending of "The Rest of You" is revealing and gives you hope for other broken families and lost friendships. Even if the themes were strong and heavy, the flow of the text itself was easy to follow.

I received an ARC ebook for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelly S · Rating 4 out of 5]

💙🧡𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕘 𝕋𝕠𝕦𝕣🧡💙
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆 @maame_blue
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"A powerful tale of womanhood, friendship, family secrets and the Black British experience, set between present-day England and mid-90s Ghana." 

A tender and heartfelt story about the complex layers of generational trauma, familial secrets, self discovery, grief, pain, hope, healing and the ripples of impact on all involved.

Maame Blue deftly portrays what it means to be black and female across three decades through the viewpoint of Whitney, Gloria, Aretha and Maame Serwaa - all with a story to tell as they navigate through their own traumas and try to move forward from tragedies in their past's. 

It felt to me as though every single word has been scrupulously curated, every character meticulously crafted and yet all flowed together effortlessly - creating a compelling, emotional and at times heartbreaking read.

Whitney's present and future has been shaped by a past she knows little to nothing about. There are things that are left unsaid, gaps in the story left untold, however you still feel it all deeply emanating from the pages. This is only possible with the exceptional, creative talent of an incredible writer. 

Beautiful, vivid, powerful and thought provoking. A must read, out now! (Please check triggers)

I highly recommended listening to the playlist, the perfect accompaniment to a brilliant book.

Thank you @verve_books for allowing me to be a part of the Blog Tour for this wonderful book. Please check out the other tour posts.

"I'm tired of feeling like I take a step forward and then something painful sends me five steps backward. Tired of having to deal with everything. Maybe I wanna ignore some stuff. Why can't that be ok?"
"I think it can be ok. It can. But sometimes we need to go through the hard bit to get to the better bit..."

#therestofyou #maameblue #maamebluetherestofyou #vervebooks #generationaltrauma #ghana #london #british #blackfemalecharacters #blackbritishfemale

[Aiesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rest of You is an emotionally resonant exploration of generational trauma, identity, and the complexities of what it means to be Black British. Maame Blue weaves a powerful narrative that spans decades, deftly exploring the unspoken wounds of migration, family secrets, and self-discovery.

The dual timelines, though jarring at first, eventually come together with a sense of purpose. Each timeline—Whitney's, her aunts Gloria and Aretha, and Maame Serwaa's—holds a narrative weight that makes you yearn for more. The characters are beautifully flawed, offering no easy resolutions but instead inviting the reader to embrace the complexities of each woman's life.

The descriptions of London are very accurate, with just one or two creative liberties about location and verbiage.

However, some storylines feel unfinished, leaving certain aspects under-explored. Also, the blurb seems to promise a story that is quite unlike the one given to us. Despite this, The Rest of You remains a deeply moving tale of belonging, survival, and the invisible threads that connect us to our past.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Whitney Appiah is deeply sensitive to the needs of her massage service clients - helping them to resolve issues in the body resulting from a variety of traumas that they have experienced - she is somehow far less aware about her own trauma and the effects that it has had on her life.

Because Whitney belongs to a Ghanaian family that relocated in the UK. And she has many unresolved issues of her own related to her cultural identity and family dynamics.

When an event triggers her deeply buried past memories, Whitney realises that she must revisit her past in order to deal with her demons, many of which stem from experiences in her early life growing up in Ghana.

This story is told from multiple POV, has intergenerational elements, and deals with some profound and painful issues including racism identity and cultural trauma. Worth a read. It gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Bryony · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is about grief, loss and trauma, as well as self discovery, friendship and moving in with your life and past the negative experiences. The past sections are based in Ghana while oresent day is set in London, but it all follows the same family and their journey and experiences of how they have needed up where they are in present day.

This is told from multiple POVS and over a span of 30 years, which was a little confusing until getting into the swing of things. There are lots of family secrets and things left unsaid and not talked about, Ghanian heritage and culture, and in the end acceptance. One POV being told in second person, and this was a bit confusing to start off with, however I can see how the author uses this for Whitney's sections to tell the reader how confused and lost she is, how she doesn't know who she is or wants to be.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this.

[Tyler Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story that sticks with you!

Ive been thinking about this read for over a week since ive finished it, this novel packs a punch. Following our fmc Whitney this is a dual timeline story which takes us through some interesting and deep topics from family to trauma. This is a book that easily sucks you in and keeps you captivated, I was entrapped from the first chapter and I flew through this read. Even though I couldn't relate to Whitney that much as we don't share anything similar from background to race I felt this character in my bones at time I could feel her emotions through the page.

Blue does an excellent job of getting the reader right where they want them, this story jumped out at me through the pages and I could vividly picture every scene and setting that was described even though I have never been to some of the places described. While this tackles a lot of heavy topics it's done so well that I didn't leave this book feeling too heavy. Really must read!

[Tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you read a book that is so good, you need to let it sit with you for awhile.

The Rest of You is one of those books.

Maame has this ability to hold out her hand and guide you down the road of this narrative, and then strike you with an observation that will stun. She weaves a beautiful story across continents and time lines with so many connected threads and flashes of insight. There were so many great (and despicable!) characters and relationships to worry about, or enjoy their successes (or downfalls!).

The Rest of You was a pleasure to read, from first page to dramatic last, and I can’t wait to read what Maame creates next!

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book about trauma - trauma caused by events you can remember and events you can’t. Trauma highlighted by the dislocation of moving between cultures and not feeling truly at home in the place you’ve moved to. The trauma of living in a racist and misogynist society. What I found difficult was what felt to me like the tokenistic inclusion of non-binary and lesbian characters. I think it’s great they are included as everyday characters in a book - but this felt like it was too obvious somehow - that it had to be explained by other characters.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about family secrets, trauma and sisters that is set in two time periods (1995 and present day) and two countries (Ghana and England). I found that it took me a some time to get into it, but it is a tale that will stay with me and I will think about for a while. There is a lot of reading between the lines necessary to follow the story and some of the storylines feel unfinished, yet there was something beautiful about it all. Thanks to Edeleweiss+ for the digital advance reading copy. 3.5/5 rounded up.

[L O · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this. It got me out of a reading slump: an easy, gripping read. The story telling across time got be very connected with the main character as she journeys along a path of self discovery. The storyline felt very relatable to me as a British-Ghanaian trying to learn more and understand the people who came before. It was a very emotional novel where the main characters overthinking became slightly annoying at points…but perhaps that’s because I’m an over thinker! A really touching novel!

[Kaley C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this is right up my alley- tough family relationships, emotional, etc. I enjoyed it, but wasn’t able to connect with it. Which, I don’t think I’m supposed to- this is about a British-Ghanaian woman! I really liked the back and forth with the two generations every other chapter. This falls short in comparison to the Vanishing Half though- I’m not sure anything comes close to that story. This doesn’t need to be compared to the Vanishing Half, it’s good on its own, too.

[Marla Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but I did find it challenging to get through. For one, it was difficult to keep track of all of the family members and friends, and how they interacted with each other, which is no fault of the author. Also, the protagonist’s voice was written in second person, which was different from any style of writing I’ve previously read. At times, this did feel a little tedious to me, but it was also interesting to bend my brain to read from a different perspective.

[Gabrielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a slog. I don’t feel like any of the characters with featured POVs had distinct voices or personalities. I don’t feel like any of the conflicts presented were addressed or solved in any way (the murder, Whitney’s sexual assault, the tension between friends, Aretha’s quest for revenge, etc.) I’m also a BIG hater of things written in second person. It doesn’t add anything positive to the structure and made me feel more detached from the narrator.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family saga inspired by the proverb of Sankofa: Looking in back in order to move forward. A traumatic event forces Whitney - a 30 year old Londoner - to reckon with the trauma from her past. Her reticent aunt, who raised her after her mother died, is reluctant to relive her own trauma and tell Whitney the truth.

[Maggie Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenkyi: it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you have forgotten."

We need to know our past in order to look to the future.

You laughed as Jak twisted themselves to be at an angle, and Chantelle moved in closer to you on the other side. *The two of them flanked you protectively.*

[Eric Boisen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book with a moving story. Took me a minute to connect all the names to the right people, but that’s on me and not the story. Would recommend