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Before We Hit the Ground
‘Love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn’t know how others seemed to walk it with ease’This is the challenge Elom and his family face in the years before his unexpected death.
Caught between his well-meaning yet misapprehending family, his boisterous friends, and his self-assured partner Ben, Elom struggles to fit in. All he ever wants is to feel understood – but what does it mean to live authentically when the only thing changing faster than the world around you is the world within?
Moving between Accra, Glasgow and London, Selali Fiamanya’s extraordinary debut asks what it means to love and be loved in return. Before We Hit the Ground is an intimate portrait of a family, and one man’s struggle to find his place.
Caught between his well-meaning yet misapprehending family, his boisterous friends, and his self-assured partner Ben, Elom struggles to fit in. All he ever wants is to feel understood – but what does it mean to live authentically when the only thing changing faster than the world around you is the world within?
Moving between Accra, Glasgow and London, Selali Fiamanya’s extraordinary debut asks what it means to love and be loved in return. Before We Hit the Ground is an intimate portrait of a family, and one man’s struggle to find his place.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 27, 2025
"They had shown him that love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn't know how others seemed to walk it with ease..
Before We Hit The Ground is a beautiful, sensitive and heartbreaking novel.
This is the story of a family - a family ; Abena and Kodzo born in Ghana and living in Glasgow; Elon their son ; Djifa their daughter. This is the story of family connections, trying to navigate the relationships within and how we breathe as we get older - finding our true selves and trying to remain true to who we are.
The first part of the book focuses on the early relationship and married life of Abena and Kodzu - the desires to succeed in life and life in Glasgow contrasted with the cultural differences to life for their families in Ghana- in particular Abena who grew up supporting her mother and helping to raise the children. The birth of their own children Elon and Djifa brings new challenges - chapters are told through the voice and perspective of each of the family as the years proceed.
Kodzo struggles with his faith ; Abena is torn between her life in Scotland and family in Ghana; Djifa focuses upon her studies and desire to be a doctor ; but it is Elom's story that is the heart of the book.
Elom is gay and struggles to fully accept his sexuality in relationship to family and relationships. His family do not speak of his sexuality and in romance, he finds it difficult to make deeper connections- fear and confusion.
"He never understood the rules of social games. Relationships weren't like they were in films and smarter people knew which promises were real and which were romantic aspirations.Perhaps he'd taken things too literally in his eagerness to connect."
Selali Fiamanya has written a wonderful novel- the love within the family is beautiful as they all navigate life and what acceptance means. The heartache and struggle for Elom is palpable and very moving
This is a superb debut and deserves all accolades it should receive. A 2025 must- read
Before We Hit The Ground is a beautiful, sensitive and heartbreaking novel.
This is the story of a family - a family ; Abena and Kodzo born in Ghana and living in Glasgow; Elon their son ; Djifa their daughter. This is the story of family connections, trying to navigate the relationships within and how we breathe as we get older - finding our true selves and trying to remain true to who we are.
The first part of the book focuses on the early relationship and married life of Abena and Kodzu - the desires to succeed in life and life in Glasgow contrasted with the cultural differences to life for their families in Ghana- in particular Abena who grew up supporting her mother and helping to raise the children. The birth of their own children Elon and Djifa brings new challenges - chapters are told through the voice and perspective of each of the family as the years proceed.
Kodzo struggles with his faith ; Abena is torn between her life in Scotland and family in Ghana; Djifa focuses upon her studies and desire to be a doctor ; but it is Elom's story that is the heart of the book.
Elom is gay and struggles to fully accept his sexuality in relationship to family and relationships. His family do not speak of his sexuality and in romance, he finds it difficult to make deeper connections- fear and confusion.
"He never understood the rules of social games. Relationships weren't like they were in films and smarter people knew which promises were real and which were romantic aspirations.Perhaps he'd taken things too literally in his eagerness to connect."
Selali Fiamanya has written a wonderful novel- the love within the family is beautiful as they all navigate life and what acceptance means. The heartache and struggle for Elom is palpable and very moving
This is a superb debut and deserves all accolades it should receive. A 2025 must- read
December 29, 2024
Wow. I didn't expect to love this quite so much.
With Before We Hit the Ground, Selali Fiamanya has crafted a dense, fantastic debut novel, spanning three decades across Accra, Glasgow, and London in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
This family saga follows a young family of four with Ghanaian heritage, with chapters alternating between their respective perspectives, revealing their struggles with family life, work, societal expectations, relationships, and faith. The novel’s structure is quite neat and chronological, with only occasional time leaps – and one significant exception:
From page one or two, we know that a tragic event is bound to occur at some point in the story, but this doesn't take away the suspense of knowing when, how, and, first and foremost, why it is going to happen. This "why" is the crux of the story. Fiamanya masterfully builds the tension using bold, economical, straightforward prose interspersed with downright poetic passages. Not surprisingly, I particularly loved the perspective of Elom, a young Scot with Ghanaian parents, coming of age in the early 21st century, and his struggles with identity, sexuality, and belonging.
With the story so masterfully written, I couldn’t help but read the entire novel in one sitting – one frantic afternoon after the Christmas holidays, long past my bedtime. A novel that has gone straight to my favourites – I’ll definitely revisit it in the future.
4.5 stars.
Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | The Borough Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
With Before We Hit the Ground, Selali Fiamanya has crafted a dense, fantastic debut novel, spanning three decades across Accra, Glasgow, and London in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
This family saga follows a young family of four with Ghanaian heritage, with chapters alternating between their respective perspectives, revealing their struggles with family life, work, societal expectations, relationships, and faith. The novel’s structure is quite neat and chronological, with only occasional time leaps – and one significant exception:
From page one or two, we know that a tragic event is bound to occur at some point in the story, but this doesn't take away the suspense of knowing when, how, and, first and foremost, why it is going to happen. This "why" is the crux of the story. Fiamanya masterfully builds the tension using bold, economical, straightforward prose interspersed with downright poetic passages. Not surprisingly, I particularly loved the perspective of Elom, a young Scot with Ghanaian parents, coming of age in the early 21st century, and his struggles with identity, sexuality, and belonging.
With the story so masterfully written, I couldn’t help but read the entire novel in one sitting – one frantic afternoon after the Christmas holidays, long past my bedtime. A novel that has gone straight to my favourites – I’ll definitely revisit it in the future.
4.5 stars.
Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | The Borough Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 3, 2024
This is a beautiful book. A compelling read, following a family through 3 decades of life in Ghana, Glasgow and London. I enjoyed the writing style from this author, and the way the characters were so well fleshed out. I liked the different chapters showing the viewpoints of each member of the family, which helped you to realise why they each made the decisions they did. The book explores the themes of family, what it means to move to a new country and culture, faith, sexuality. It is incredibly moving and I read it quickly.
May 29, 2025
“Before We Hit the Ground” is the best book in the literary fiction genre that I have read since the beginning of the year.
The story begins with two grieving parents who have lost their 29-year-old son. However, immediately after the first chapter, we go back and learn about the past of Abena and Kodzo, young Ghanaians who emigrate to Scotland in search of a better life and fulfillment.
Abena spent her childhood serving others, doing the work of adults in raising her younger sister and cousins. Abena dreams of developing, studying, and practicing a good profession. Kodzo, who is a medical graduate and works as a nurse, wants a family and convinces Abena to have a child. The book presents both the perspectives of the parents and that of their two children - Djifa and Elom. Abena - the housewife who must find a balance between family and career, Kodzo - the father who seeks strength in religion, Djifa - the perfect daughter who, urged by her parents, enrolls in medicine, but is fascinated by the acting profession, Elom - the troubled son who has a difficult upbringing and spends his entire life searching for his place in the world.
For its relatively short length, Selali Fiamanya’s novel presents some important themes that managed to move me, the way they were presented was unobtrusive and at the same time sufficiently profound. “Before We Hit the Ground” makes us think about the entire palette of feelings that we experience as humans. The sense of belonging, the creation and maintenance of relationships, the boundary between us and others and can they understand us? Can we understand ourselves?
“Love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn’t know how others seemed to walk it with ease.” is a quote from this book that will stay in my thoughts for a long time… A strong debut! I hope the book finds its audience, I would gladly read another novel by this author.
I received a uncorrected proof copy of the book in exchange for an honest review and I am greatful for that.
The story begins with two grieving parents who have lost their 29-year-old son. However, immediately after the first chapter, we go back and learn about the past of Abena and Kodzo, young Ghanaians who emigrate to Scotland in search of a better life and fulfillment.
Abena spent her childhood serving others, doing the work of adults in raising her younger sister and cousins. Abena dreams of developing, studying, and practicing a good profession. Kodzo, who is a medical graduate and works as a nurse, wants a family and convinces Abena to have a child. The book presents both the perspectives of the parents and that of their two children - Djifa and Elom. Abena - the housewife who must find a balance between family and career, Kodzo - the father who seeks strength in religion, Djifa - the perfect daughter who, urged by her parents, enrolls in medicine, but is fascinated by the acting profession, Elom - the troubled son who has a difficult upbringing and spends his entire life searching for his place in the world.
For its relatively short length, Selali Fiamanya’s novel presents some important themes that managed to move me, the way they were presented was unobtrusive and at the same time sufficiently profound. “Before We Hit the Ground” makes us think about the entire palette of feelings that we experience as humans. The sense of belonging, the creation and maintenance of relationships, the boundary between us and others and can they understand us? Can we understand ourselves?
“Love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn’t know how others seemed to walk it with ease.” is a quote from this book that will stay in my thoughts for a long time… A strong debut! I hope the book finds its audience, I would gladly read another novel by this author.
I received a uncorrected proof copy of the book in exchange for an honest review and I am greatful for that.
January 30, 2025
Thank you to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the e-arc!
For the first 50% of this I was hooked and on board. I was interested in seeing how the story of Abena's acclimatization to Scottish life would unfold, I wanted to see her navigate through life and succeed and stumble along the way. That's what kept me turning the pages. As soon as the story switched from being about the parents and focused on the kids and their struggles, I lost interest.
I found both kids to be incredibly boring with the son being mildly better. I found the daughter's POV to be a snooze fest and kept asking myself why it was needed to begin with. It added nothing to the story besides a higher page count. If it was completely cut out we would still have the same story. The girl has no personality beyond being the poster child for perfect kids. What was her purpose in this book?
I don't understand what we were trying to do in the latter half, it felt directionless and pointless. In a sea of books about the immigrant experience and coming of age this really adds nothing to that conversation. I'm confused as to what message we are supposed to draw from this. What was the point of this whole narrative? What are the takeaways? What is the point? If someone gets it I'd love it explained to me because I simply don't get it.
The writing was decent otherwise the rating would be much lower. The two halves of this book just didn't come together in a way that made this one complete story. We should have just stuck to the parents' POVs there was a lot more to explore there that was just hinted at especially in the dad's arc
For the first 50% of this I was hooked and on board. I was interested in seeing how the story of Abena's acclimatization to Scottish life would unfold, I wanted to see her navigate through life and succeed and stumble along the way. That's what kept me turning the pages. As soon as the story switched from being about the parents and focused on the kids and their struggles, I lost interest.
I found both kids to be incredibly boring with the son being mildly better. I found the daughter's POV to be a snooze fest and kept asking myself why it was needed to begin with. It added nothing to the story besides a higher page count. If it was completely cut out we would still have the same story. The girl has no personality beyond being the poster child for perfect kids. What was her purpose in this book?
I don't understand what we were trying to do in the latter half, it felt directionless and pointless. In a sea of books about the immigrant experience and coming of age this really adds nothing to that conversation. I'm confused as to what message we are supposed to draw from this. What was the point of this whole narrative? What are the takeaways? What is the point? If someone gets it I'd love it explained to me because I simply don't get it.
The writing was decent otherwise the rating would be much lower. The two halves of this book just didn't come together in a way that made this one complete story. We should have just stuck to the parents' POVs there was a lot more to explore there that was just hinted at especially in the dad's arc
January 26, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and The Borough Press for this ARC!
Before We Hit the Ground tells us the story of a Ghanian family living in the UK, and we follow them from the parents' meeting in Ghana when they are young adults, through their lives in Glasgow, to the lives their children lead as they grow up.
This book was a fantastic, multi-faceted read, one which I truly don't think any summary will do justice. On the surface it's simply the story of a family over the course of about three decades, but it discusses many heavy and important themes with compassion and grace in a way which I feel will bring them closer to any reader, even those who have led completely different lives.
This book discusses topics such as blackness in Scotland but also just in white-dominated society. The roles women are forced into, with a focus on the expectations placed on Ghanian women, though in a way I feel many people who have emigrated from countries ravaged by centuries of colonialism will relate to, as well as their children. As someone who is Catholic, but deviates in the way he practices from what is considered the standard, I found Kodzo's spiritual journey especially interesting.
But I must not neglect talking about Elom, who I feel in a way is at the very heart of the story. We are told at the start of the book that Elon has died, so for the rest of the book you feel as if you are putting together a puzzle, figuring out the events that have led to this. Elom's sexuality is part of that puzzle, but not the one I found most intriguing. Instead, his issues with feeling and understanding himself and his emotions was what made me love his character as much as I did; as someone who is autistic I constantly saw myself in the ways he struggled to connect with and stay connected to people and hold onto friendships and relationships alike.
In general the characters in this were utterly fantastic, both those whose POVs we get to see and those who are just a part of their individual stories. Every single character felt rich and unique, and just plain human. We were never just shown any character's faults or only their good sides, but instead they were shown as a real human being is: with equal measures of both of them.
All in all this was an absolutely stunning debut novel, I cannot wait to read more of Fiamanya's work in the future. I highly recommend reading this if you love character-focused fiction, if you want to see the world from a perspective that differs from yours, or if you just want to see your experiences masterfully reflected in novel-form.
I don't think I could ever even begin to write a review for this book that reflects all the layers of this story - everyone please read this so I have more people I can fawn over this with.
Before We Hit the Ground tells us the story of a Ghanian family living in the UK, and we follow them from the parents' meeting in Ghana when they are young adults, through their lives in Glasgow, to the lives their children lead as they grow up.
This book was a fantastic, multi-faceted read, one which I truly don't think any summary will do justice. On the surface it's simply the story of a family over the course of about three decades, but it discusses many heavy and important themes with compassion and grace in a way which I feel will bring them closer to any reader, even those who have led completely different lives.
This book discusses topics such as blackness in Scotland but also just in white-dominated society. The roles women are forced into, with a focus on the expectations placed on Ghanian women, though in a way I feel many people who have emigrated from countries ravaged by centuries of colonialism will relate to, as well as their children. As someone who is Catholic, but deviates in the way he practices from what is considered the standard, I found Kodzo's spiritual journey especially interesting.
But I must not neglect talking about Elom, who I feel in a way is at the very heart of the story. We are told at the start of the book that Elon has died, so for the rest of the book you feel as if you are putting together a puzzle, figuring out the events that have led to this. Elom's sexuality is part of that puzzle, but not the one I found most intriguing. Instead, his issues with feeling and understanding himself and his emotions was what made me love his character as much as I did; as someone who is autistic I constantly saw myself in the ways he struggled to connect with and stay connected to people and hold onto friendships and relationships alike.
In general the characters in this were utterly fantastic, both those whose POVs we get to see and those who are just a part of their individual stories. Every single character felt rich and unique, and just plain human. We were never just shown any character's faults or only their good sides, but instead they were shown as a real human being is: with equal measures of both of them.
All in all this was an absolutely stunning debut novel, I cannot wait to read more of Fiamanya's work in the future. I highly recommend reading this if you love character-focused fiction, if you want to see the world from a perspective that differs from yours, or if you just want to see your experiences masterfully reflected in novel-form.
I don't think I could ever even begin to write a review for this book that reflects all the layers of this story - everyone please read this so I have more people I can fawn over this with.
February 23, 2025
Thank you very much to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and The Borough Press for this advance copy in exchange for a fair review! I went through so many emotions while reading this, and as a result the review had to wait until I'd recovered a little.
My short review - read this! It's a long time since I've read a story where I was so fully invested in all four main characters and where I highlighted so many passages. Its insights in what it means to love and to be loved, how we treat others and how we see ourselves through their eyes... so many times I had to put the book down, breathe and digest it all a little before moving on.
Before We Hit the Ground is the story of a Ghanaian/Scottish family. Abena and Kodzo are born in Ghana but leave for the cold and rain of Glasgow, bringing up their children there and making a life for them all. The story is told skilfully through chapters that are often separated somewhat in time, and told variously from the perspective of each of the four members of the family. There's some delightful contrasts between the expectations of family and life in Ghana and how the characters are experiencing Glasgow - including a wonderfully told trip back to Ghana for Abena for her mother's funeral and everything that brings.
Ultimately though, the heart of the story is Elom, the family's son and younger child, and his search for belonging and understanding how to love and be loved in return. Elom has my heart, and my only real criticism of this book was that I was so invested in Elom in the last third that every time a chapter narrative switched to his sister Djifa's story or to one of his parents, I was impatient and just wanted to get back to Elom.
A beautiful novel that works on several levels - it's a family saga, an immigrant's story and exploration of queer love and belonging. Highly recommended.
My short review - read this! It's a long time since I've read a story where I was so fully invested in all four main characters and where I highlighted so many passages. Its insights in what it means to love and to be loved, how we treat others and how we see ourselves through their eyes... so many times I had to put the book down, breathe and digest it all a little before moving on.
Before We Hit the Ground is the story of a Ghanaian/Scottish family. Abena and Kodzo are born in Ghana but leave for the cold and rain of Glasgow, bringing up their children there and making a life for them all. The story is told skilfully through chapters that are often separated somewhat in time, and told variously from the perspective of each of the four members of the family. There's some delightful contrasts between the expectations of family and life in Ghana and how the characters are experiencing Glasgow - including a wonderfully told trip back to Ghana for Abena for her mother's funeral and everything that brings.
Ultimately though, the heart of the story is Elom, the family's son and younger child, and his search for belonging and understanding how to love and be loved in return. Elom has my heart, and my only real criticism of this book was that I was so invested in Elom in the last third that every time a chapter narrative switched to his sister Djifa's story or to one of his parents, I was impatient and just wanted to get back to Elom.
A beautiful novel that works on several levels - it's a family saga, an immigrant's story and exploration of queer love and belonging. Highly recommended.
February 13, 2025
“They had shown him that love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn’t know how others seemed to walk it with ease”
"Before We Hit The Ground" totally floored me! Selali Fiamanya's debut novel is a stunning exploration of family, identity, and acceptance that had me hooked from start to finish. In this powerful and poignant story, Abena and Kodzo, Ghanaian parents living in Glasgow, navigate the complexities of cultural heritage, family dynamics, and personal identity alongside their children, Elom and Djifa.
I loved how the story wove together the lives of this family, each character's voice and perspective adding a rich layer of depth to the narrative. What really resonated with me, though, was Elom's journey towards self-acceptance. It's this beautifully poignant portrayal of the struggles and fears that come with finding your true self - and it's something that I think we can all relate to on some level.
“But slowly, he began to admit to his own desires in the daylight: he didn't have a name for what he was, but he knew what he wanted. The white-hot release of sex gained more colour: he had good sex, bad sex, intimate and wild sex. Eventually he brought men back to his, scooting them past his housemates, then later walking downstairs with a bashful pride. Now when he went out and saw other boys, he was more concerned with communicating his interest than with hiding it. He stressed out about uni, and money, and getting enough sleep, and sex: normal things” - this passage marks a turning point in Elom's journey, as he begins to embrace his desires and identity. The way Fiamanya writes about Elom's experiences with sex is both frank and tender, capturing the complexities of intimacy and vulnerability.
Furthermore, the following passages highlight the complexities of Elom's relationships with his family. The first quote, 'There was something they never understood about him, and things he was never able to tell them...', perfectly captures the essence of Elom's struggles with his family. It's a powerful reminder that love can be present even when understanding is lacking. Meanwhile, the second quote takes this theme further, as Elom observes that his family reacts to discussions of mental health with the same 'compassionate avoidance' they exhibit towards his sexuality. This insightful passage underscores the tension between empathy and avoidance, and highlights the ways we often struggle to confront difficult topics. Fiamanya's portrayal of Elom's struggles is both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Although Elom is undoubtedly the heart of this story, I found myself wanting to delve deeper into the lives of the other characters, particularly Kodzo. His struggles with faith and the tensions at home are expertly woven throughout the narrative, but I couldn't help feeling that there was more to explore.
Fiamanya's writing is just gorgeous - it's tender, it's unflinching, and it's totally immersive. Her storytelling has the power to make you feel seen, heard, and understood. If you're looking for a novel that'll make you feel all the feels, this book is an absolute must-read for 2025!
"Before We Hit The Ground" totally floored me! Selali Fiamanya's debut novel is a stunning exploration of family, identity, and acceptance that had me hooked from start to finish. In this powerful and poignant story, Abena and Kodzo, Ghanaian parents living in Glasgow, navigate the complexities of cultural heritage, family dynamics, and personal identity alongside their children, Elom and Djifa.
I loved how the story wove together the lives of this family, each character's voice and perspective adding a rich layer of depth to the narrative. What really resonated with me, though, was Elom's journey towards self-acceptance. It's this beautifully poignant portrayal of the struggles and fears that come with finding your true self - and it's something that I think we can all relate to on some level.
“But slowly, he began to admit to his own desires in the daylight: he didn't have a name for what he was, but he knew what he wanted. The white-hot release of sex gained more colour: he had good sex, bad sex, intimate and wild sex. Eventually he brought men back to his, scooting them past his housemates, then later walking downstairs with a bashful pride. Now when he went out and saw other boys, he was more concerned with communicating his interest than with hiding it. He stressed out about uni, and money, and getting enough sleep, and sex: normal things” - this passage marks a turning point in Elom's journey, as he begins to embrace his desires and identity. The way Fiamanya writes about Elom's experiences with sex is both frank and tender, capturing the complexities of intimacy and vulnerability.
Furthermore, the following passages highlight the complexities of Elom's relationships with his family. The first quote, 'There was something they never understood about him, and things he was never able to tell them...', perfectly captures the essence of Elom's struggles with his family. It's a powerful reminder that love can be present even when understanding is lacking. Meanwhile, the second quote takes this theme further, as Elom observes that his family reacts to discussions of mental health with the same 'compassionate avoidance' they exhibit towards his sexuality. This insightful passage underscores the tension between empathy and avoidance, and highlights the ways we often struggle to confront difficult topics. Fiamanya's portrayal of Elom's struggles is both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Although Elom is undoubtedly the heart of this story, I found myself wanting to delve deeper into the lives of the other characters, particularly Kodzo. His struggles with faith and the tensions at home are expertly woven throughout the narrative, but I couldn't help feeling that there was more to explore.
Fiamanya's writing is just gorgeous - it's tender, it's unflinching, and it's totally immersive. Her storytelling has the power to make you feel seen, heard, and understood. If you're looking for a novel that'll make you feel all the feels, this book is an absolute must-read for 2025!
March 25, 2025
One word. Relatable
March 26, 2025
This book is deeply moving—sad, painful, yet undeniably beautiful. It explores themes of queer love, sexuality, culture, faith, racism, and mental health in a way that feels both intimate and expansive. In some ways, it reminds me of Open Water, particularly in how it delves into love, masculinity, and vulnerability.
One of the things I appreciated most was how the novel foregrounds the lives of Elom’s parents, Abena and Kodzo, before fully immersing us in his story. This structure allows us to understand their struggles—how they navigate migration from Ghana to Scotland, how they attempt to fit in, and how these experiences shape family dynamics. It also highlights the generational tensions and expectations that arise from such a transition.
Kodzo carries a quiet but heavy anxiety, feeling the intense pressure of masculinity—of being a provider, a father, and living up to societal expectations. Abena, on the other hand, sees work as a form of escapism. Dzifa was another standout character for me—on the surface, she exudes confidence, but beneath it, she struggles with self-doubt. The novel captures this duality beautifully, showing how people can present themselves one way while battling unseen insecurities.
Elom’s story is deeply compelling. His relationship with Ben is particularly striking, and I found myself disliking Ben for how he weaponized his emotions—how he pressured Elom to come out without fully grasping the immense difficulty of doing so within the context of Ghanaian culture and its deeply ingrained (and colonial-imposed) societal and religious norms. There was a lack of understanding on Ben’s part, an insistence that coming out should be done on his terms rather than Elom’s.
Elom’s parents’ response to his sexuality is also layered and nuanced. Their approach—choosing not to make a fuss—may have been intended as acceptance, but it wasn’t what Elom needed.
I loved the novel’s exploration of love. The novel also raises questions about love and communication. Quality time creates intimate memories, but how often do we truly speak to those we love? How often do we make time for them? Words left unsaid carry weight, shaping relationships in profound ways. The characters love each other deeply, yet don’t always know how to show it, leading to misunderstandings and fractured connections. There’s an exploration of how love, though well-intentioned, can be miscommunicated—how people try to meet each other’s needs but sometimes fall short, not because they don’t care, but because love is complex and shaped by personal wounds.
One of the things I appreciated most was how the novel foregrounds the lives of Elom’s parents, Abena and Kodzo, before fully immersing us in his story. This structure allows us to understand their struggles—how they navigate migration from Ghana to Scotland, how they attempt to fit in, and how these experiences shape family dynamics. It also highlights the generational tensions and expectations that arise from such a transition.
Kodzo carries a quiet but heavy anxiety, feeling the intense pressure of masculinity—of being a provider, a father, and living up to societal expectations. Abena, on the other hand, sees work as a form of escapism. Dzifa was another standout character for me—on the surface, she exudes confidence, but beneath it, she struggles with self-doubt. The novel captures this duality beautifully, showing how people can present themselves one way while battling unseen insecurities.
Elom’s story is deeply compelling. His relationship with Ben is particularly striking, and I found myself disliking Ben for how he weaponized his emotions—how he pressured Elom to come out without fully grasping the immense difficulty of doing so within the context of Ghanaian culture and its deeply ingrained (and colonial-imposed) societal and religious norms. There was a lack of understanding on Ben’s part, an insistence that coming out should be done on his terms rather than Elom’s.
Elom’s parents’ response to his sexuality is also layered and nuanced. Their approach—choosing not to make a fuss—may have been intended as acceptance, but it wasn’t what Elom needed.
I loved the novel’s exploration of love. The novel also raises questions about love and communication. Quality time creates intimate memories, but how often do we truly speak to those we love? How often do we make time for them? Words left unsaid carry weight, shaping relationships in profound ways. The characters love each other deeply, yet don’t always know how to show it, leading to misunderstandings and fractured connections. There’s an exploration of how love, though well-intentioned, can be miscommunicated—how people try to meet each other’s needs but sometimes fall short, not because they don’t care, but because love is complex and shaped by personal wounds.
February 21, 2025
This book was such a moving read—it truly had me in a chokehold. The first few pages reveal the ending, which I initially thought would be comforting, yet the journey remained an emotional rollercoaster. By the time I reached the final page, I was overwhelmed with sadness. I had come to know and love these characters so deeply that I unrealistically hoped for a different ending. There were so many moments where I had to pause, reflect, and simply feel. I was at a loss for words because this family’s collective journey captured the diaspora experience so perfectly.
At its core, the novel explores two main generations, yet each character is deeply relatable. Kodzo carries the weight of being the provider, feeling the pressure to be the man of the house and Abena longs to be more than just a mother and wife—she yearns for a piece of life to call her own. Dzifa is the "perfect child," yet she searches for meaning beyond expectations and Elom wrestles with his longing for acceptance and struggles to understand the crux human connection—to love and be loved.
The novel beautifully portrays the immigrant experience, especially the stark contrasts when moving from the Global South to the Global North. The pressure on immigrant parents to succeed and provide a better life for their children is palpable. Yet, no matter how much time passes, the inability to fully belong anywhere remains a familiar ache. The generational gap makes communication difficult, but when immigrant parents raise children in an entirely different cultural landscape, the divide becomes even more profound.
This book masterfully conveys so much, even in the silences between family members—between parent and child, husband and wife, sibling and sibling. It is a powerful, evocative read that will leave you wanting more. Fiamanya's wriring is poetic and beautifully sensitive; I wouldn’t be surprised if it wins an award!
At its core, the novel explores two main generations, yet each character is deeply relatable. Kodzo carries the weight of being the provider, feeling the pressure to be the man of the house and Abena longs to be more than just a mother and wife—she yearns for a piece of life to call her own. Dzifa is the "perfect child," yet she searches for meaning beyond expectations and Elom wrestles with his longing for acceptance and struggles to understand the crux human connection—to love and be loved.
The novel beautifully portrays the immigrant experience, especially the stark contrasts when moving from the Global South to the Global North. The pressure on immigrant parents to succeed and provide a better life for their children is palpable. Yet, no matter how much time passes, the inability to fully belong anywhere remains a familiar ache. The generational gap makes communication difficult, but when immigrant parents raise children in an entirely different cultural landscape, the divide becomes even more profound.
This book masterfully conveys so much, even in the silences between family members—between parent and child, husband and wife, sibling and sibling. It is a powerful, evocative read that will leave you wanting more. Fiamanya's wriring is poetic and beautifully sensitive; I wouldn’t be surprised if it wins an award!
February 27, 2025
ARC REVIEW
Before We Hit the Ground is a phenomenal, moving read and had me in an utter chokehold, I finished it in a few hours.
It starts at the end, which might make it seem as though the rest of the story may bring comfort and answers, but instead it is an emotional rollercoaster of a journey.
The story follows a family battling with their cultural and social identity, and brings you into the lives of each character as they grow both figuratively and literally. By the end I was a mess. I had fallen so deeply for these characters and their stories and I hoped so desperately for a different ending.
The writing is absolutely incredible and brings pause and feeling to the reader perfectly.
It’s been a while since I felt so connected to the characters in a novel, not because I can relate, but because their stories and emotions were told so vividly, you cannot help but became involved and even protective over them. I was particularly drawn to Elom, and ached so much for him.
I’ve done a lot of work with diasporic storytelling and truly, Fiamanya has captured this experience so perfectly. I cannot recommend this novel enough.
Thank you to HarperCollins, The Borough Press and Netgalley for this phenomenal ARC!
Before We Hit the Ground is a phenomenal, moving read and had me in an utter chokehold, I finished it in a few hours.
It starts at the end, which might make it seem as though the rest of the story may bring comfort and answers, but instead it is an emotional rollercoaster of a journey.
The story follows a family battling with their cultural and social identity, and brings you into the lives of each character as they grow both figuratively and literally. By the end I was a mess. I had fallen so deeply for these characters and their stories and I hoped so desperately for a different ending.
The writing is absolutely incredible and brings pause and feeling to the reader perfectly.
It’s been a while since I felt so connected to the characters in a novel, not because I can relate, but because their stories and emotions were told so vividly, you cannot help but became involved and even protective over them. I was particularly drawn to Elom, and ached so much for him.
I’ve done a lot of work with diasporic storytelling and truly, Fiamanya has captured this experience so perfectly. I cannot recommend this novel enough.
Thank you to HarperCollins, The Borough Press and Netgalley for this phenomenal ARC!
April 29, 2025
4,25 ⭐️
Before We Hit the Ground is about trying to build roots in places that often don’t want us. And about how love, even when flawed, is the thread that keeps us standing — or holds us back.
Selali Fiamanya tells a simple story, but one that carries real weight.
A book about what we leave behind and what we can never quite let go of.
“They had shown him that love was a tightrope between freedom and control.”
“You can choose to mourn our son in the place where he died. I need to remember him in a place where I can live.”
“The sea soothed as it numbed, the saltwater stung as it cleansed. It pushed, and it pulled. It held the promise of floating and the threat of drowning. It was all kindness and cruelty, as far as the eye could see.”
“There was something they never understood about him, and things he was never able to tell them; ways of loving they couldn’t agree on, though he knew the love was there.”
“Apportioning blame seemed futile: he could see now that Ben had been controlling, and that he himself had been unreadable.”
“Maybe loving himself and giving himself control were the same thing. Maybe it would help him love others.”
Before We Hit the Ground is about trying to build roots in places that often don’t want us. And about how love, even when flawed, is the thread that keeps us standing — or holds us back.
Selali Fiamanya tells a simple story, but one that carries real weight.
A book about what we leave behind and what we can never quite let go of.
“They had shown him that love was a tightrope between freedom and control.”
“You can choose to mourn our son in the place where he died. I need to remember him in a place where I can live.”
“The sea soothed as it numbed, the saltwater stung as it cleansed. It pushed, and it pulled. It held the promise of floating and the threat of drowning. It was all kindness and cruelty, as far as the eye could see.”
“There was something they never understood about him, and things he was never able to tell them; ways of loving they couldn’t agree on, though he knew the love was there.”
“Apportioning blame seemed futile: he could see now that Ben had been controlling, and that he himself had been unreadable.”
“Maybe loving himself and giving himself control were the same thing. Maybe it would help him love others.”
November 23, 2025
If you’ve ever wondered what Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel THE NAMESAKE would have been like with a gay Ghanaian twist, this is the book for you. BEFORE WE HIT THE GROUND is a remarkably assured debut novel set between Accra, Glasgow and London. We meet immigrants Kodzo and Abena and follow their stories and struggles from 1980s Ghana to more or less present day Scotland.
What really pushed this novel to five star quality for me is the way the characters are written. Kodzo and Abena are particularly well drawn, and I found myself really empathizing with their desire to accept their son Elom’s sexuality even if their way of showing support was inadequate for him. If you want to know what I mean and/or debate me on this point, PLEASE read this book. It is a favourite book of 2025.
Trigger warnings for depression and suicide.
What really pushed this novel to five star quality for me is the way the characters are written. Kodzo and Abena are particularly well drawn, and I found myself really empathizing with their desire to accept their son Elom’s sexuality even if their way of showing support was inadequate for him. If you want to know what I mean and/or debate me on this point, PLEASE read this book. It is a favourite book of 2025.
Trigger warnings for depression and suicide.
March 21, 2025
*Casual Readers Book Club #3* (March)
Haven’t quite decided what I think of this book yet, will come back to review properly after book club. But one thing I know for sure is that this book made me SAD 😢
*Update*
A few days later, I have decided that I did not enjoy this book! I appreciate the relatability of it (I.e., being first gen immigrants growing up in a primarily white country), the struggles of being othered, mental health, trying to fit in, romantic and platonic relationships etc. HOWEVERRR, this book was hard for me to like as nothing really happened! And I know people say a book can be about nothing and still be good, but not for me 🤣 Also, there were many loose ends and unanswered questions. My biggest gripe was that a lot of issues could have been solved by communicating. But I also understand the human experience of not being able to talk/express yourself properly, but it just goes to show that communication really is key!!
Haven’t quite decided what I think of this book yet, will come back to review properly after book club. But one thing I know for sure is that this book made me SAD 😢
*Update*
A few days later, I have decided that I did not enjoy this book! I appreciate the relatability of it (I.e., being first gen immigrants growing up in a primarily white country), the struggles of being othered, mental health, trying to fit in, romantic and platonic relationships etc. HOWEVERRR, this book was hard for me to like as nothing really happened! And I know people say a book can be about nothing and still be good, but not for me 🤣 Also, there were many loose ends and unanswered questions. My biggest gripe was that a lot of issues could have been solved by communicating. But I also understand the human experience of not being able to talk/express yourself properly, but it just goes to show that communication really is key!!
September 17, 2025
Such a beautiful book, I loved it! It reminded me of Zoe Smith On Beauty. I was surprised that the gay story did not come until mid-way through the book. It's written in a way that you can emphatise and relate to each of the members in the family. I only wished some details were included in the story so it could better bridge the first and the second part of the book.
January 7, 2025
Review to follow, but wow
May 20, 2025
loveeeddddd !!!
August 10, 2025
4.5
This was a lot better than what I expected from a debut book. Very perceptive and beautifully written.
Also 10/10 music references
This was a lot better than what I expected from a debut book. Very perceptive and beautifully written.
Also 10/10 music references
June 2, 2025
4.5⭐️
“On the rare times he was lucky enough to understand his emotions, or desires he hid them. He was always alone, no matter how hard he tried, or how hard others did.”
A thought provoking and deeply moving novel essentially about a family trying to love each other and navigate these relationships within.
We follow this Ghanaian Scottish family and go back to when the parents met in Ghana 40 years prior and we see them through migration, grief, identity crises.
The father Kodzo struggles with his faith; mother Abena is torn between her life in Scotland family in Ghana; Djifa their daughter focuses upon her studies whilst trying to discover who she is but it is Elom’s story which is at the heart of this
Elmo is also discovering who he is and with that comes discovering his sexuality. Struggle to accept this and where this sits in relation to friendships and family relationships, resulting in him feeling full of fear and confusion and finding it difficult to make deep connections.
Fiamanya provides an immersive, powerful exploration of survival, identity and the choices the shape us. Beautifully written alongside themes of resilience and belonging.
I also listened to the audiobook, the Scottish accents made it all the more immersive!
I loved how we get multiple POV from all family members as the years proceed so we get everyone’s perception, and feelings on situations. Struggles are reveal with family life, work, societal expectations, relationships and faith. It provided such an exploration of sibling dynamic, showing the light and dark, compassion v rivalry.
Selali has written a beautiful novel, showing the complexities of people and relationships. As the love within the family is tested as they all navigate life and what acceptance means.
My heart truly broke for Elom especially, wanted to give everyone in this novel a hug at some point. It felt so raw and real 😭tears were shed especially in the last chapter.
A stunning debut, wow🤍
Themes: family, sexuality, belonging, identity, culture, love, faith.
“On the rare times he was lucky enough to understand his emotions, or desires he hid them. He was always alone, no matter how hard he tried, or how hard others did.”
A thought provoking and deeply moving novel essentially about a family trying to love each other and navigate these relationships within.
We follow this Ghanaian Scottish family and go back to when the parents met in Ghana 40 years prior and we see them through migration, grief, identity crises.
The father Kodzo struggles with his faith; mother Abena is torn between her life in Scotland family in Ghana; Djifa their daughter focuses upon her studies whilst trying to discover who she is but it is Elom’s story which is at the heart of this
Elmo is also discovering who he is and with that comes discovering his sexuality. Struggle to accept this and where this sits in relation to friendships and family relationships, resulting in him feeling full of fear and confusion and finding it difficult to make deep connections.
Fiamanya provides an immersive, powerful exploration of survival, identity and the choices the shape us. Beautifully written alongside themes of resilience and belonging.
I also listened to the audiobook, the Scottish accents made it all the more immersive!
I loved how we get multiple POV from all family members as the years proceed so we get everyone’s perception, and feelings on situations. Struggles are reveal with family life, work, societal expectations, relationships and faith. It provided such an exploration of sibling dynamic, showing the light and dark, compassion v rivalry.
Selali has written a beautiful novel, showing the complexities of people and relationships. As the love within the family is tested as they all navigate life and what acceptance means.
My heart truly broke for Elom especially, wanted to give everyone in this novel a hug at some point. It felt so raw and real 😭tears were shed especially in the last chapter.
A stunning debut, wow🤍
Themes: family, sexuality, belonging, identity, culture, love, faith.
July 2, 2025
This was a well written book, personally I felt much more drawn in by the story of the parents which surprised me but they were truly the most interesting and fleshed out characters. The book description really fails this book as makes it seem like it will focus on just the character of Elom and his struggles with love and connection but that felt a small part of the story. Elom never felt fully realized and it was hard to connect. I also personally felt confused by the ending and think I missed something it's made clear at the start that Elom passed but the ending didn't explain if he intentionally drowned or not. I wish the whole story could have either focused just on the parents or on Elon either way both being fleshed out more. I feel the differing POVs didn't give time to really invest in the characters. I cared about his sister's chapters the least of all. Found the parents chapters most compelling and Elom's chapters somewhere in the middle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2025
“There was something they never understood about him, and things he was never able to tell them; ways of loving they couldn’t agree on, though he knew the love was there. He had never been taught how to talk about his feelings. He’d only recently started learning how to understand them.”
This was another bookclub read and it was really interesting one which left me quite conflicted.
The story follows a Ghanaian family living in Glasgow- Kodzo, a father and diligent churchgoer whose mental health begins to trouble him; Abena, a mother who loves her children and balances her desire to be a good mother with her career; Elom, a quiet son who struggles with the topic of love; and easygoing and sociable Dzifa.
I hate that I personally related to Elom- the challenges that he felt when he didn’t feel that he could express himself or demonstrate his love is definitely something that I’ve experienced- maybe aligning with both of our experiences growing up in a West African home where love is not expressed frequently through open lines of communication. However, it continually frustrated me that in his insecurity he victimised himself- it took him the full length of the book to recognise that it was him who was unable to express love, or receive it from those around him. And the moment he realised that- the end. I just feel like to end a character right at the pinnacle of their growth and development is crazy, and doesn’t really align with that whole acceptance and understanding of his issues.
The book’s plot itself kind of follows these characters through the mundane moments in their lives; GCSEs and university, moving away from home- all very relatable, everyday moments. I think the book was interesting enough for me to continue through those sections but still not *that* interesting. I enjoyed parts where i could relate to the characters’ experiences, being from a similar background, but the rest was largely average.
Can someone explain what the title means??
I know that the book features the parents and sister and follows elements of their lives- I quite like the development of the dynamic between Abena and Kodzo- the different interpretations of what home is and the fact that Abena still feels connected to her roots in Ghana whereas Kodzo feels more grounded and secure in Glasgow. I wish that they had had that conversation towards the end of the book rather than at the start because when we finally get towards the end of the book we understand both of their perspective we’ve already forgotten what happened at the start of the book where they had the discussion about Leaving Glasgow or staying. I would’ve actually liked to have read more about that and maybe progressed more through that storyline. I wonder if Elom hadn’t passed, if Kodzo would have agreed to finally go to Ghana. I also wonder if Abena would be willing to leave Kodzo so that she could retire how she wants- like, could that be her breaking point?
In terms of Dzifa, I felt like her storyline was a bit shallower than the others- whilst she kind of mirrored her brothers difficulties with connection, it was moreso because she was connecting with everyone. Unfortunately I just found that her storyline was a little more surface level and there wasn’t much of a point of realisation aside from her needing to be a better friend.
There are a lot of interesting things about this book, but I equally feel like there were a lot of average and flawed things.
3.25
This was another bookclub read and it was really interesting one which left me quite conflicted.
The story follows a Ghanaian family living in Glasgow- Kodzo, a father and diligent churchgoer whose mental health begins to trouble him; Abena, a mother who loves her children and balances her desire to be a good mother with her career; Elom, a quiet son who struggles with the topic of love; and easygoing and sociable Dzifa.
I hate that I personally related to Elom- the challenges that he felt when he didn’t feel that he could express himself or demonstrate his love is definitely something that I’ve experienced- maybe aligning with both of our experiences growing up in a West African home where love is not expressed frequently through open lines of communication. However, it continually frustrated me that in his insecurity he victimised himself- it took him the full length of the book to recognise that it was him who was unable to express love, or receive it from those around him. And the moment he realised that- the end. I just feel like to end a character right at the pinnacle of their growth and development is crazy, and doesn’t really align with that whole acceptance and understanding of his issues.
The book’s plot itself kind of follows these characters through the mundane moments in their lives; GCSEs and university, moving away from home- all very relatable, everyday moments. I think the book was interesting enough for me to continue through those sections but still not *that* interesting. I enjoyed parts where i could relate to the characters’ experiences, being from a similar background, but the rest was largely average.
Can someone explain what the title means??
I know that the book features the parents and sister and follows elements of their lives- I quite like the development of the dynamic between Abena and Kodzo- the different interpretations of what home is and the fact that Abena still feels connected to her roots in Ghana whereas Kodzo feels more grounded and secure in Glasgow. I wish that they had had that conversation towards the end of the book rather than at the start because when we finally get towards the end of the book we understand both of their perspective we’ve already forgotten what happened at the start of the book where they had the discussion about Leaving Glasgow or staying. I would’ve actually liked to have read more about that and maybe progressed more through that storyline. I wonder if Elom hadn’t passed, if Kodzo would have agreed to finally go to Ghana. I also wonder if Abena would be willing to leave Kodzo so that she could retire how she wants- like, could that be her breaking point?
In terms of Dzifa, I felt like her storyline was a bit shallower than the others- whilst she kind of mirrored her brothers difficulties with connection, it was moreso because she was connecting with everyone. Unfortunately I just found that her storyline was a little more surface level and there wasn’t much of a point of realisation aside from her needing to be a better friend.
There are a lot of interesting things about this book, but I equally feel like there were a lot of average and flawed things.
3.25
October 13, 2025
@readertoo_au on instagram
📖 Before We Hit the Ground – Selali Fiamanya
🔥 Debut novel alert — and it lands hard.
Fiamanya’s writing is bold, beautiful, and hits that space between strength and vulnerability. From the first page, you know something tragic has happened — but what keeps you hooked is how he gets you there.
“Love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn’t know how others seemed to walk it with ease.”
This book cracks open masculinity, identity, and love in all their messy, human forms. It’s not loud — it’s precise. Every page hits like a quiet gut punch.
🗞️ The New York Times called it “lyrical and unflinching.”
🗞️ The Age Australia praised it as “an arresting debut about identity and the cost of connection.”
⭐ Goodreads reviewers are calling it “haunting, tender, and unforgettable.”
For anyone who’s ever carried silence, or tried to find their place between worlds — this one’s for you. A debut that doesn’t just promise — it delivers.
I’m always chasing books that say something real about what it means to be a man — the quiet kind of strength, the unspoken stuff, the moments where you don’t quite fit but still show up.
Before We Hit the Ground does exactly that. It’s not a performance of masculinity — it’s a reflection of it. Complex. Vulnerable. Honest.
As a debut, Selali Fiamanya has set the bar high. If this is book one, I can’t wait to see what he writes next.
If you’ve ever connected with writers like Ocean Vuong, Caleb Azumah Nelson, or even the quieter moments in Shuggie Bain — this one deserves a spot on your shelf.
What debut has blown you away recently? Drop it below 👇
#Bookstagram #BeforeWeHitTheGround #SelaliFiamanya #MensReading #BookReview #DebutNovel #LiteraryFiction #BooksForMen #ReadersOfInstagram #GuyReads #BookRecs #BookAddict #BookCommunity #BookLovers #ReadingGoals #ModernFiction
#Bookstagram #BeforeWeHitTheGround #SelaliFiamanya #DebutNovel #MensReading #BookReview #LiteraryFiction #BooksForMen #ReadersOfInstagram #GuyReads #BookRecs #MustRead #BookAddict #ReadingCommunity #NewBooks #FictionFinds
📖 Before We Hit the Ground – Selali Fiamanya
🔥 Debut novel alert — and it lands hard.
Fiamanya’s writing is bold, beautiful, and hits that space between strength and vulnerability. From the first page, you know something tragic has happened — but what keeps you hooked is how he gets you there.
“Love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn’t know how others seemed to walk it with ease.”
This book cracks open masculinity, identity, and love in all their messy, human forms. It’s not loud — it’s precise. Every page hits like a quiet gut punch.
🗞️ The New York Times called it “lyrical and unflinching.”
🗞️ The Age Australia praised it as “an arresting debut about identity and the cost of connection.”
⭐ Goodreads reviewers are calling it “haunting, tender, and unforgettable.”
For anyone who’s ever carried silence, or tried to find their place between worlds — this one’s for you. A debut that doesn’t just promise — it delivers.
I’m always chasing books that say something real about what it means to be a man — the quiet kind of strength, the unspoken stuff, the moments where you don’t quite fit but still show up.
Before We Hit the Ground does exactly that. It’s not a performance of masculinity — it’s a reflection of it. Complex. Vulnerable. Honest.
As a debut, Selali Fiamanya has set the bar high. If this is book one, I can’t wait to see what he writes next.
If you’ve ever connected with writers like Ocean Vuong, Caleb Azumah Nelson, or even the quieter moments in Shuggie Bain — this one deserves a spot on your shelf.
What debut has blown you away recently? Drop it below 👇
#Bookstagram #BeforeWeHitTheGround #SelaliFiamanya #MensReading #BookReview #DebutNovel #LiteraryFiction #BooksForMen #ReadersOfInstagram #GuyReads #BookRecs #BookAddict #BookCommunity #BookLovers #ReadingGoals #ModernFiction
#Bookstagram #BeforeWeHitTheGround #SelaliFiamanya #DebutNovel #MensReading #BookReview #LiteraryFiction #BooksForMen #ReadersOfInstagram #GuyReads #BookRecs #MustRead #BookAddict #ReadingCommunity #NewBooks #FictionFinds
January 16, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💬 “They had shown him that love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn’t know how others seemed to walk it with ease.”
💭 Spanning several decades across Accra, Glasgow and London, BEFORE WE HIT THE GROUND is an extraordinary debut about one family and their lives - both together and apart.
Abena and Kodzo: born in Ghana and living in Glasgow. Abena yearning to move back home now her children are older, wanting to reconnect with her family. Kodzo: struggling with his faith, and wanting to stay in Glasgow, struggling with how his home has changed. Djifa: training to be a doctor in Oxford, constantly feeling stuck on the periphery of her friendship group, not quite belonging. And Elom: struggling with his sexuality and how he fits in with his laddy groups of friends, with his confident and self-assured boyfriend, with his family.
Through alternating perspectives, Fiamanya weaves an intricate tapestry of family life and explores the connections between them, ultimately asking what it means to love and be loved in return.
Wow. Fiamanya’s writing is breathtaking; his prose is a perfectly balanced mix of poetic, but also simple and straightforward, and his character’s are beautifully crafted. The heartache I felt for Elom was particularly strong. His struggles with his identity, sexuality and belonging were deeply moving and explored with sensitivity and a great tenderness.
This one was such a wonderful read. Beautiful, introspective and expansive, I urge you pick this one up. I’m excited to see what Fiamanya writes in the future.
💬 “They had shown him that love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn’t know how others seemed to walk it with ease.”
💭 Spanning several decades across Accra, Glasgow and London, BEFORE WE HIT THE GROUND is an extraordinary debut about one family and their lives - both together and apart.
Abena and Kodzo: born in Ghana and living in Glasgow. Abena yearning to move back home now her children are older, wanting to reconnect with her family. Kodzo: struggling with his faith, and wanting to stay in Glasgow, struggling with how his home has changed. Djifa: training to be a doctor in Oxford, constantly feeling stuck on the periphery of her friendship group, not quite belonging. And Elom: struggling with his sexuality and how he fits in with his laddy groups of friends, with his confident and self-assured boyfriend, with his family.
Through alternating perspectives, Fiamanya weaves an intricate tapestry of family life and explores the connections between them, ultimately asking what it means to love and be loved in return.
Wow. Fiamanya’s writing is breathtaking; his prose is a perfectly balanced mix of poetic, but also simple and straightforward, and his character’s are beautifully crafted. The heartache I felt for Elom was particularly strong. His struggles with his identity, sexuality and belonging were deeply moving and explored with sensitivity and a great tenderness.
This one was such a wonderful read. Beautiful, introspective and expansive, I urge you pick this one up. I’m excited to see what Fiamanya writes in the future.
February 19, 2025
Many thanks to the author, Selali Fiamanya, @netgalley, and the publisher, Harper Collins UK, for an ARC of this book, which will be published on 27 February. It's the story of a British Ghanaian family, focusing in particular on the eldest son, Elom. We follow the family over 30 years, from Abena and Kodzo's first meeting in Ghana through to the aftermath of Elom's unexpected death.
I really wanted to love this novel, and it contained a lot of elements that appealed to me. The exploration of moving to a different culture and what it means to belong to your new land as well as your original home is well explored and Elom’s struggles with others are carefully described. However, it's relatively short for a family saga, especially for one that's told from four different perspectives. The chapters are also short, and the narrative often jumps forward a few years with each change of chapter. Taken altogether, it felt a bit disjointed to me, and I felt that I wanted each character to be given more space to tell their story.
There's also a mystery at the heart of the narrative. While the other characters are clearly sketched and their motivations easy to understand, Elom felt unknowable to me: even at the end of the novel, I wasn't sure why he found it difficult to relate to people in different areas of his life. I suppose that's true to life - the reasons for people's behaviour can rarely be encapsulated by a simple definition- and it kept me thinking, but it also felt unsatisfying.
I think this novel is still worth reading, but it could have been even better.
I really wanted to love this novel, and it contained a lot of elements that appealed to me. The exploration of moving to a different culture and what it means to belong to your new land as well as your original home is well explored and Elom’s struggles with others are carefully described. However, it's relatively short for a family saga, especially for one that's told from four different perspectives. The chapters are also short, and the narrative often jumps forward a few years with each change of chapter. Taken altogether, it felt a bit disjointed to me, and I felt that I wanted each character to be given more space to tell their story.
There's also a mystery at the heart of the narrative. While the other characters are clearly sketched and their motivations easy to understand, Elom felt unknowable to me: even at the end of the novel, I wasn't sure why he found it difficult to relate to people in different areas of his life. I suppose that's true to life - the reasons for people's behaviour can rarely be encapsulated by a simple definition- and it kept me thinking, but it also felt unsatisfying.
I think this novel is still worth reading, but it could have been even better.
September 30, 2025
thoughts/ stream of consciousness a la woolf
- some very good writing, unbelievably precise capturing of anxiety in a way that i have very rarely seen. the over analysis, physical sensations etc., was done really justice and nuance
- not all of the writing was to my taste, had a tendency to tell rather than show feelings. sometimes that does work, not everything needs to be overly literary and metaphorical but a bit too much balances this way i felt
- ending? felt unsatisfying and not fully resolved. the blurb (which is not at all reflective of the novel - focuses on elom & his relationship with ben. this is only about the last third of the book, what about abena’s story? kodzo & dfiza) anyway, i digress, the blurb focus on this fraction of the book is accurate in the ending. it seems that once that part of the story was (rapidly & loosely) wrapped up in elom’s death (not a spoiler) the other characters didn’t get any more mileage. in fact, much of their story stopped for elom in the last part which is a shame because abena’s story was really fascinating (not just because i invited him to a bookfest panel on the topic of home so nice to see it was fully explored)
- on this, i liked the relationship building - the complexities between generations esp clouded through lens of immigration, sexuality etc. the miscommunication between elom & his parents felt real rather than contrived for narrative sake and you wanted to shake them all!
- some very good writing, unbelievably precise capturing of anxiety in a way that i have very rarely seen. the over analysis, physical sensations etc., was done really justice and nuance
- not all of the writing was to my taste, had a tendency to tell rather than show feelings. sometimes that does work, not everything needs to be overly literary and metaphorical but a bit too much balances this way i felt
- ending? felt unsatisfying and not fully resolved. the blurb (which is not at all reflective of the novel - focuses on elom & his relationship with ben. this is only about the last third of the book, what about abena’s story? kodzo & dfiza) anyway, i digress, the blurb focus on this fraction of the book is accurate in the ending. it seems that once that part of the story was (rapidly & loosely) wrapped up in elom’s death (not a spoiler) the other characters didn’t get any more mileage. in fact, much of their story stopped for elom in the last part which is a shame because abena’s story was really fascinating (not just because i invited him to a bookfest panel on the topic of home so nice to see it was fully explored)
- on this, i liked the relationship building - the complexities between generations esp clouded through lens of immigration, sexuality etc. the miscommunication between elom & his parents felt real rather than contrived for narrative sake and you wanted to shake them all!
October 2, 2025
They had shown him that love was a tightrope between freedom and control. He didn’t know how others seemed to walk it with easeQuiet and powerful. A story that unfolds end to beginning. A Ghanian family grieves the death of their son before we see their history unfold.
Abena marries Kodzo on a whim, hopeful to make a life with him that is more than just housework. In Glasgow, she works and ultimately relents to have children. All her life it's waiting until the finish line that keeps getting pushed back. Her want to go back and make a new life for herself is overpowering.
Her husband Kodzo is the provider. A nurse at a local hospital, he struggles with faith and masculinity. He brings in a frailness to the family constellation that only Abena can uphold and support.
Their older son, Elom, struggles to fit in. Under pressure to perform, his race and sexuality hinder his development, despite the loving nature of his sometimes misunderstanding parents. An honest depiction of modern gay sexuality, he moves from ltr, to hook up to uncertainty.
Dzifa is the model child. While things and achievements come easy to her, her social life, whilst brimming is also marked by her flakiness and lack of follow-through.
Thoroughly enjoyed this commute companion.
May 8, 2025
A tragedy of a thousand cuts
—
Following one family across three decades, from Accra to Glasgow and London and back again, the tale opens at the end, after a great tragedy and each member of the family must decide what to do next. Then the book shows us why those choices are made.
Abena has her own life in Accra when Kodzo makes an impromptu proposal to marry him and join him in Glasgow. As each short story unfolds, we see their married life, their challenges at work, their children Elom and Dzifa being born and growing up, and the growing pains of all families. When Elom moves to London and finally lets his sexuality out, he remains plagued by doubts of his parents’ love. His journey between this doubt and his eventual fate drives the latter half of the book, heading towards the ending we’ve already seen.
Structurally, opening at the end gives the book its direction, but it never swerves from this, always running to a tragic fate. There isn’t enough joy in the intervening scenes and turns to mitigate the pouring on of sadness on sadness, and I felt that the book, never mind the character arcs, ended unresolved: things were always going to go this way, so why try to delay it? As Dylan Thomas said, ‘Rage, rage against the dying of the light.’
—
Following one family across three decades, from Accra to Glasgow and London and back again, the tale opens at the end, after a great tragedy and each member of the family must decide what to do next. Then the book shows us why those choices are made.
Abena has her own life in Accra when Kodzo makes an impromptu proposal to marry him and join him in Glasgow. As each short story unfolds, we see their married life, their challenges at work, their children Elom and Dzifa being born and growing up, and the growing pains of all families. When Elom moves to London and finally lets his sexuality out, he remains plagued by doubts of his parents’ love. His journey between this doubt and his eventual fate drives the latter half of the book, heading towards the ending we’ve already seen.
Structurally, opening at the end gives the book its direction, but it never swerves from this, always running to a tragic fate. There isn’t enough joy in the intervening scenes and turns to mitigate the pouring on of sadness on sadness, and I felt that the book, never mind the character arcs, ended unresolved: things were always going to go this way, so why try to delay it? As Dylan Thomas said, ‘Rage, rage against the dying of the light.’
June 6, 2025
4,5/5 ✨
I picked up this book at random from the queer bookshelf and I'm so glad I found this book!
I think what this book did beautifully is the way it portrayed people perceiving situations and how different perspectives entirely change an event. What I mean by this, is that one event becomes three different events, when three people experience it in different ways.
I think this was a great depiction of sexuality and what it feels like to come to terms with one's sexuality when you come from a different cultural background. It was also very nice to learn more about Ghana and what it feels like to be a migrant in the West. I appreciated the author's way of portraying flawed characters with so little judgment and the empathetic way of writing about these very real characters.
I think it's extremely skillful that even though you know from the first chapter that one of the characters will die at the end of the book, I was still waiting with extreme suspense what would happen in the end.
I picked up this book at random from the queer bookshelf and I'm so glad I found this book!
I think what this book did beautifully is the way it portrayed people perceiving situations and how different perspectives entirely change an event. What I mean by this, is that one event becomes three different events, when three people experience it in different ways.
I think this was a great depiction of sexuality and what it feels like to come to terms with one's sexuality when you come from a different cultural background. It was also very nice to learn more about Ghana and what it feels like to be a migrant in the West. I appreciated the author's way of portraying flawed characters with so little judgment and the empathetic way of writing about these very real characters.
I think it's extremely skillful that even though you know from the first chapter that one of the characters will die at the end of the book, I was still waiting with extreme suspense what would happen in the end.
September 30, 2025
Reading this felt like stepping into a space that was both intimate and unsettling, a world where every line carried weight and demanded reflection. The prose is sparse but emotionally charged, each sentence calibrated to ache just enough. I was struck by how Fiamanya balances vulnerability with defiance, layering emotion and thought in a way that made me pause often, not because the work was difficult to understand, but because it asked me to feel more deeply than I expected. As someone who thinks deeply about youth, identity, and the spaces between belonging and becoming, I found the narrative both haunting and grounding. What I really loved was how it explores the fragile, often chaotic space right before a major life shift, making the anticipation feel as powerful as the event itself. There's a certain emotional honesty in this story, but it doesn't offer easy catharsis. Instead, it invites us to sit with the weight of memory, migration, and masculinity, and learning to accept love on its own terms.
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