What do you think?
Half Lives
No one can hurt you like a sister
Growing up in 1970s Ghana, Evelyn and Maggie are two sides of the same coin. While reliable Evelyn is entrusted to support her struggling family, Maggie skips class to flirt with boys. Despite their differences, they’ve made a one day they will escape to America, and start a new life together.
Evelyn’s prospects transform when she marries Gus, a wealthy surgeon who already lives in New York, and quickly falls pregnant. Meanwhile, Maggie sees her prospects vanish when she realises she is also expecting, but without the crucial detail of a husband.
When a terrible accident causes Evelyn to lose her unborn child, the answer seems simple, and Evelyn takes her sister’s unwanted baby to the States to raise as her own. But such an act has untold consequences for both sisters, and when one of them changes their mind, an impossible decision awaits.
An emotional gut-punch of a novel, Half Lives is about the enduring power of love, and what it can withstand before it breaks.
Growing up in 1970s Ghana, Evelyn and Maggie are two sides of the same coin. While reliable Evelyn is entrusted to support her struggling family, Maggie skips class to flirt with boys. Despite their differences, they’ve made a one day they will escape to America, and start a new life together.
Evelyn’s prospects transform when she marries Gus, a wealthy surgeon who already lives in New York, and quickly falls pregnant. Meanwhile, Maggie sees her prospects vanish when she realises she is also expecting, but without the crucial detail of a husband.
When a terrible accident causes Evelyn to lose her unborn child, the answer seems simple, and Evelyn takes her sister’s unwanted baby to the States to raise as her own. But such an act has untold consequences for both sisters, and when one of them changes their mind, an impossible decision awaits.
An emotional gut-punch of a novel, Half Lives is about the enduring power of love, and what it can withstand before it breaks.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 4, 2026
I know we should not compare an author's previous work but I really really LOVED Rootless and I wanted to feel the same about Half Lives, but this one fell flat for me.
Want to Read
November 15, 2025I used to pray for times like this!!!!! Will be sat until June 🙏🏽😭
June 5, 2026
“It has always been the two of them.”
April 21, 2026
I really liked Rootless, so I was rooting for this story, but unfortunately it didn’t quite meet my expectations.
Half Lives follows the lives of two sisters, Evelyn and Maggie, in late 1960s to 1970s Ghana, whose lives are changed by a decision made out of financial and economic necessity.
When Evelyn drops out of school to help support her struggling family, a marriage proposal from a well-to-do family—whose son resides in the United States—seems like a way out of poverty. When she suffers a terrible tragedy, her sister steps in to offer her a lifeline, but at what cost?
Augustus (Gus), the man she marries, is not who he claims to be. His double life in the U.S., when Evelyn joins him, leads to domestic abuse. Stranded in a country and city where she knows no one, she has to rely on the kindness of strangers to survive.
At the same time, Maggie’s poor decisions lead to her giving her sister the chance at a life with Gus, but the trauma of what she has gone through cannot easily be swept under the rug.
I felt this was a strong plotline with the potential to be a masterpiece, but it didn’t quite come together for me. What stood out most was the setting. While the author is Ghanaian, parts of the depiction didn’t always feel fully grounded in the time period. For instance, references like malt and milk biscuits felt out of place—Bona biscuits were more common then. Similarly, while there was some rationing, it was largely for imported goods like milk and fizzy drinks, while staples like cassava and yam remained widely available.
I also found some of the character descriptions and language choices a bit jarring. Descriptions like blushing didn’t feel entirely fitting for the characters, and some of the Twi expressions didn’t quite land naturally in their context.
Overall, it felt like a story that could resonate more strongly with readers less familiar with the setting, but for me, the inconsistencies made it harder to stay immersed. I do think that when books are set in specific places and time periods, careful attention to detail really matters.
Ultimately, this one didn’t fully work for me.
Thanks to @harpercollins for the ARC. As always, this is an honest review.
Half Lives follows the lives of two sisters, Evelyn and Maggie, in late 1960s to 1970s Ghana, whose lives are changed by a decision made out of financial and economic necessity.
When Evelyn drops out of school to help support her struggling family, a marriage proposal from a well-to-do family—whose son resides in the United States—seems like a way out of poverty. When she suffers a terrible tragedy, her sister steps in to offer her a lifeline, but at what cost?
Augustus (Gus), the man she marries, is not who he claims to be. His double life in the U.S., when Evelyn joins him, leads to domestic abuse. Stranded in a country and city where she knows no one, she has to rely on the kindness of strangers to survive.
At the same time, Maggie’s poor decisions lead to her giving her sister the chance at a life with Gus, but the trauma of what she has gone through cannot easily be swept under the rug.
I felt this was a strong plotline with the potential to be a masterpiece, but it didn’t quite come together for me. What stood out most was the setting. While the author is Ghanaian, parts of the depiction didn’t always feel fully grounded in the time period. For instance, references like malt and milk biscuits felt out of place—Bona biscuits were more common then. Similarly, while there was some rationing, it was largely for imported goods like milk and fizzy drinks, while staples like cassava and yam remained widely available.
I also found some of the character descriptions and language choices a bit jarring. Descriptions like blushing didn’t feel entirely fitting for the characters, and some of the Twi expressions didn’t quite land naturally in their context.
Overall, it felt like a story that could resonate more strongly with readers less familiar with the setting, but for me, the inconsistencies made it harder to stay immersed. I do think that when books are set in specific places and time periods, careful attention to detail really matters.
Ultimately, this one didn’t fully work for me.
Thanks to @harpercollins for the ARC. As always, this is an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
August 19, 2026
It’s like a 3.75. The pacing for Maggie’s part was all over the place and I don’t think it was a well thought out plot. Evelyn’s story sounded and felt all too familiar.
Gripping read nonetheless.
Gripping read nonetheless.
June 5, 2026
I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it just didn't work for me. I found myself struggling to stay engaged because the story felt quite slow and flat.
The book follows two sisters, Evelyn and Margaret. Evelyn is sent off to marry a young man living in the United States. Shortly after, she becomes pregnant, but a tragic fall leaves her with a fracture, the loss of her baby, and ultimately the loss of her ability to have children. At the same time, Margaret finds herself pregnant out of wedlock. Feeling responsible for Evelyn's accident, she makes a life-changing decision to give her baby to her sister.
From there, a tangled web of lies, family secrets, and hidden truths begins to unfold.
While the twists and revelations genuinely caught me off guard, I felt there wasn't enough depth to the story or the characters. It constantly felt like something was missing, which made it difficult for me to fully connect with the book. The secrets kept me curious, but not enough to make up for the lack of emotional depth and engagement.
Overall, it had an interesting premise and some surprising revelations, but it wasn't a memorable read for me.
The book follows two sisters, Evelyn and Margaret. Evelyn is sent off to marry a young man living in the United States. Shortly after, she becomes pregnant, but a tragic fall leaves her with a fracture, the loss of her baby, and ultimately the loss of her ability to have children. At the same time, Margaret finds herself pregnant out of wedlock. Feeling responsible for Evelyn's accident, she makes a life-changing decision to give her baby to her sister.
From there, a tangled web of lies, family secrets, and hidden truths begins to unfold.
While the twists and revelations genuinely caught me off guard, I felt there wasn't enough depth to the story or the characters. It constantly felt like something was missing, which made it difficult for me to fully connect with the book. The secrets kept me curious, but not enough to make up for the lack of emotional depth and engagement.
Overall, it had an interesting premise and some surprising revelations, but it wasn't a memorable read for me.
July 7, 2026
This felt like it was written by a preteen. It's full of underdeveloped characters and melodrama that had me either rolling my eyes or going "sorry, what?" The final section is the worst offender for this, it just goes completely off the rails.
Still, it kept me entertained on a long day of train journeys, so I have to give it some credit.
If you want a fast-paced soap opera, this is the one. If you want nuance or immersion, go elsewhere.
Still, it kept me entertained on a long day of train journeys, so I have to give it some credit.
If you want a fast-paced soap opera, this is the one. If you want nuance or immersion, go elsewhere.
August 30, 2026
Another promising premise let down by a piss poor execution.
Because the best story to come out of my experience with this book wasn’t anything in this novel but rather, the one my mum told me, after she asked what I was reading.
That story, was about a young woman my mum schooled with, who married and went abroad with a fugly elderly man, after the dud aggressively pursued her, promising he would provide for her with his engineering career. Only for her to get to the Americas and not experience even a little bit of that easy living. Because that senior citizen wasn’t and had never been an engineer, just a lying ass taxi driver who never completed his schooling and thought he could lie his way through the rest of his years all the while stealing her youth and keeping her cloistered in a small flat and suffering in her ignorance. Foul and audacious, but that’s men. Unfortunately for him, when he was late getting home one night, his wife reached out to his friend to inquire about his whereabouts and the awful, vomit including truth was revealed. After years.
Anyway.
That half hour conversation wherein I realized why that lady had (honestly, rightfully) been a hellish terror anytime I encountered her, was better than anything I read in this book, which was vague and skint in the worst way.
And it’s annoying, because it doesn’t start off so flat and stale and lacking in emotional impact.
In the first few chapters, there’s this tease that the book will actually do what it says and delve into the tragic experience of these sisters by holding them up to the light and dissecting why things between them fell apart the way they did.
But that sure footedness is maybe a quarter of the book because once the inciting incident happens, the book loses all steam. Forgoes unique and detailed storytelling in favour of an underwhelming reconstruction of Ghana in the 70s—this part should’ve been so propulsive and evocative instead it was so hollow it could’ve been any west African country at the time—tired cliches, and wooden regurgitations of a story that’s been told before and told better. Very much an after school special: Struggling, Naive Immigrant version.
And I haaaaated that. The story of a young woman who comes to America to be with a husband she hardly knows, after suffering a devastating loss that her sister is indirectly responsible for and makes up for in the most heartbreaking way, should be this super heightened, thoughtful, juicy tale, but this just wasn’t. And whenever the book did reveal something painful, tragic, wonderful or even just unexpected, it immediately clubbed itself in the knees by following it up with stereotypes, spittle deep introspection and stupid choices galore. All written without any compelling authorial flare or depth.
At first, I assumed that this distance to be because the author (in her 30s, Ghanaian but UK raised so 2 generations and a country removed) was telling a story she simply wasn’t familiar with and had done just enough research go establish the bones of it while ignoring the nuances that would take things from general to distinct. And that’s definitely part of it but reading reviews from non Ghanaians who have the same issue of vagueness I think this story just isn’t well done in any way.
Whether or not one is familiar with Ghanaian culture or not, everything is way too simplistically rendered to have any meaningful or lasting impact.
And that makes it an uninteresting chore to read. Stock figures going through predictable motions rather than well defined and developed characters saying and doing things that feel honest and real and complicated. It’s one thing for characters to not be honest with themselves, even in her own minds, but it’s another to write empty shells of women that exist to move the story from one place to another with little character consistency and sense. Then it’s just a tale of fools and there’s little reason to care.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year too like what a disappointment.
Because the best story to come out of my experience with this book wasn’t anything in this novel but rather, the one my mum told me, after she asked what I was reading.
That story, was about a young woman my mum schooled with, who married and went abroad with a fugly elderly man, after the dud aggressively pursued her, promising he would provide for her with his engineering career. Only for her to get to the Americas and not experience even a little bit of that easy living. Because that senior citizen wasn’t and had never been an engineer, just a lying ass taxi driver who never completed his schooling and thought he could lie his way through the rest of his years all the while stealing her youth and keeping her cloistered in a small flat and suffering in her ignorance. Foul and audacious, but that’s men. Unfortunately for him, when he was late getting home one night, his wife reached out to his friend to inquire about his whereabouts and the awful, vomit including truth was revealed. After years.
Anyway.
That half hour conversation wherein I realized why that lady had (honestly, rightfully) been a hellish terror anytime I encountered her, was better than anything I read in this book, which was vague and skint in the worst way.
And it’s annoying, because it doesn’t start off so flat and stale and lacking in emotional impact.
In the first few chapters, there’s this tease that the book will actually do what it says and delve into the tragic experience of these sisters by holding them up to the light and dissecting why things between them fell apart the way they did.
But that sure footedness is maybe a quarter of the book because once the inciting incident happens, the book loses all steam. Forgoes unique and detailed storytelling in favour of an underwhelming reconstruction of Ghana in the 70s—this part should’ve been so propulsive and evocative instead it was so hollow it could’ve been any west African country at the time—tired cliches, and wooden regurgitations of a story that’s been told before and told better. Very much an after school special: Struggling, Naive Immigrant version.
And I haaaaated that. The story of a young woman who comes to America to be with a husband she hardly knows, after suffering a devastating loss that her sister is indirectly responsible for and makes up for in the most heartbreaking way, should be this super heightened, thoughtful, juicy tale, but this just wasn’t. And whenever the book did reveal something painful, tragic, wonderful or even just unexpected, it immediately clubbed itself in the knees by following it up with stereotypes, spittle deep introspection and stupid choices galore. All written without any compelling authorial flare or depth.
At first, I assumed that this distance to be because the author (in her 30s, Ghanaian but UK raised so 2 generations and a country removed) was telling a story she simply wasn’t familiar with and had done just enough research go establish the bones of it while ignoring the nuances that would take things from general to distinct. And that’s definitely part of it but reading reviews from non Ghanaians who have the same issue of vagueness I think this story just isn’t well done in any way.
Whether or not one is familiar with Ghanaian culture or not, everything is way too simplistically rendered to have any meaningful or lasting impact.
And that makes it an uninteresting chore to read. Stock figures going through predictable motions rather than well defined and developed characters saying and doing things that feel honest and real and complicated. It’s one thing for characters to not be honest with themselves, even in her own minds, but it’s another to write empty shells of women that exist to move the story from one place to another with little character consistency and sense. Then it’s just a tale of fools and there’s little reason to care.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year too like what a disappointment.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinion.
Initially, when I got the book, I knew I was hesitating to start because I remembered what I went through emotionally when I read Rootless. The author brought that same energy into Half Lives. Right from the start, I was drawn in by the characters, by the way she pulled back their layers, the way the author tried to make us understand each character's individual choices and why they had to do what they did—my heart breaks. My heart breaks for what Evelyn had to go through. And when I say this is emotional, my eyes are literally watering as I’m typing this review.
To be honest, if you have read His Only Wife, Half Lives takes the plot line of His Only Wife and makes it into something beautiful that will stick with you.
In Half Lives, a young girl is being married off to a man who is in the US. They are strangers. They move from not knowing each other at all to getting married. Getting married to someone that she does not know, and all hell breaks loose when she goes to be with her husband in the US... And when I say my heart breaks so much for Evelyn—it doesn't mean that I'm trying to undermine Maggie's story or what she has been through emotionally. Evelyn just got the worst of it because this is somebody that left everything that she knew to come and be in this man's life that she doesn't know at all. How she suffered, how she had to get back on her feet with a child too... The author truly did an amazing thing with this book. Truly, truly amazing.
And Maggie's story—I understand why she felt the need to backtrack the way she did, because she and Evelyn were from the same parents, raised in the same home, but Evelyn has always been the golden child and she has always been put in the back seat, so to say. Not that her parents did not love her, but it just felt like Evelyn was the person the spotlight was on.
One thing I love about this book was the way the dynamics between sisterhood was represented—the light on domestic abuse, getting your life back in order. And to be honest, it's never too late to start again.
When Maggie tried to take Jonathan back, I was like, "Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to upend your life for a man that does not even love you? Why, why?" And I'm so glad that the author made Maggie come back to her senses. I'm so glad that the author showed the healing that Maggie went through. It's so wholesome.
And to be honest, I love that ending. The ending was beautiful. I also love the way Maggie's and Evelyn's parents' relationship was explored. Every character's life was explored so well, without feeling like there was something missing.
This book is good, if I do say so myself. And it's emotional. It's a story that just makes you stop and think. Yes, that's the phrase I will use.
I love Rootless. I love Sam and Efe's story, and I also love Maggie and Evelyn's story as well. Thank you so much for the ARC.
TW: Domestic violence, loss of a child, child abuse, Dementia, cheating
Initially, when I got the book, I knew I was hesitating to start because I remembered what I went through emotionally when I read Rootless. The author brought that same energy into Half Lives. Right from the start, I was drawn in by the characters, by the way she pulled back their layers, the way the author tried to make us understand each character's individual choices and why they had to do what they did—my heart breaks. My heart breaks for what Evelyn had to go through. And when I say this is emotional, my eyes are literally watering as I’m typing this review.
To be honest, if you have read His Only Wife, Half Lives takes the plot line of His Only Wife and makes it into something beautiful that will stick with you.
In Half Lives, a young girl is being married off to a man who is in the US. They are strangers. They move from not knowing each other at all to getting married. Getting married to someone that she does not know, and all hell breaks loose when she goes to be with her husband in the US... And when I say my heart breaks so much for Evelyn—it doesn't mean that I'm trying to undermine Maggie's story or what she has been through emotionally. Evelyn just got the worst of it because this is somebody that left everything that she knew to come and be in this man's life that she doesn't know at all. How she suffered, how she had to get back on her feet with a child too... The author truly did an amazing thing with this book. Truly, truly amazing.
And Maggie's story—I understand why she felt the need to backtrack the way she did, because she and Evelyn were from the same parents, raised in the same home, but Evelyn has always been the golden child and she has always been put in the back seat, so to say. Not that her parents did not love her, but it just felt like Evelyn was the person the spotlight was on.
One thing I love about this book was the way the dynamics between sisterhood was represented—the light on domestic abuse, getting your life back in order. And to be honest, it's never too late to start again.
When Maggie tried to take Jonathan back, I was like, "Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to upend your life for a man that does not even love you? Why, why?" And I'm so glad that the author made Maggie come back to her senses. I'm so glad that the author showed the healing that Maggie went through. It's so wholesome.
And to be honest, I love that ending. The ending was beautiful. I also love the way Maggie's and Evelyn's parents' relationship was explored. Every character's life was explored so well, without feeling like there was something missing.
This book is good, if I do say so myself. And it's emotional. It's a story that just makes you stop and think. Yes, that's the phrase I will use.
I love Rootless. I love Sam and Efe's story, and I also love Maggie and Evelyn's story as well. Thank you so much for the ARC.
TW: Domestic violence, loss of a child, child abuse, Dementia, cheating
September 15, 2026
Half Lives is an incredibly moving story about how two sisters who seemingly share an indestructible bond navigate their lives independently after a series of major life changes.
Evelyn and Maggie were convincing characters with unique developments, made immersively engaging by Appiah’s rich and selective descriptions. Plot twists were dramatic and unexpected and the rage and determination that drove Evelyn and Maggie to conclude years of idly accepting the neglectful and harmful behaviour of their romantic interests, leads both women to make drastic, but distinct, choices that lead to their son (indeed which of the two sisters Jonathan belongs to is a discussion in and of itself) becoming the primary bestower of their ostensible happiness.
I found that, whilst Evelyn acted as our hero and Maggie as the anti-hero, I hoped desperately for both of their freedoms. Evelyn’s gentle docility Appiah constructs masterfully and where the reader expects an unquestioning subservience from Evelyn, particularly after she resolves to return to Gus after her first night in the Starlight Diner, Evelyn becomes a character with a fierce agency. She is indisputably brave, creative and thoughtful and as Appiah subtly weaves Evelyn and Jonathan’s relationship into the plot’s main arc, the reader comes to realise that Jonathon’s intelligent politeness has been being nurtured in the periphery.
The reader’s relationship with Maggie is much more turbulent. Appiah never discourages sympathy but the frustration and dread that build as Maggie is forced to make decisions because of her father’s passivity complicates our view of Maggie’s character growth. It is her immeasurable loss both in family and direction that allows the reader to easily grasp her stagnancy and, too, her resentment towards her perception of Evelyn’s life in the US. Yet, Maggie misleads Evelyn in her vengeful reclamation of Jonathan. Although she does come to nurture him as her sister did, shown particularly when Maggie resolves to quietly allow Johnathan to continue messily enjoying his mango at Grace’s funeral, her superficial over-enthusiasm at the fair reveals an erratic loss of control which does not centre motherhood as her key goal, but rather her unrequited love of Moses. Instead, Chapter 48 switching to Jonathan’s perspective accentuated the inexplicableness of his separation from Evelyn at this point in their lives.
I would argue that this is what makes Appiah’s ending of Half Lives so compelling. Jonathan has learned to love both sisters as his mother and both Evelyn and Maggie become acutely aware of how necessary the other’s presence is in his upbringing. The story’s resolution lies in both sisters’ independent stability working in shops as their mother did and selling produce in her memory with their son’s growth at the apex of their bond.
Evelyn and Maggie were convincing characters with unique developments, made immersively engaging by Appiah’s rich and selective descriptions. Plot twists were dramatic and unexpected and the rage and determination that drove Evelyn and Maggie to conclude years of idly accepting the neglectful and harmful behaviour of their romantic interests, leads both women to make drastic, but distinct, choices that lead to their son (indeed which of the two sisters Jonathan belongs to is a discussion in and of itself) becoming the primary bestower of their ostensible happiness.
I found that, whilst Evelyn acted as our hero and Maggie as the anti-hero, I hoped desperately for both of their freedoms. Evelyn’s gentle docility Appiah constructs masterfully and where the reader expects an unquestioning subservience from Evelyn, particularly after she resolves to return to Gus after her first night in the Starlight Diner, Evelyn becomes a character with a fierce agency. She is indisputably brave, creative and thoughtful and as Appiah subtly weaves Evelyn and Jonathan’s relationship into the plot’s main arc, the reader comes to realise that Jonathon’s intelligent politeness has been being nurtured in the periphery.
The reader’s relationship with Maggie is much more turbulent. Appiah never discourages sympathy but the frustration and dread that build as Maggie is forced to make decisions because of her father’s passivity complicates our view of Maggie’s character growth. It is her immeasurable loss both in family and direction that allows the reader to easily grasp her stagnancy and, too, her resentment towards her perception of Evelyn’s life in the US. Yet, Maggie misleads Evelyn in her vengeful reclamation of Jonathan. Although she does come to nurture him as her sister did, shown particularly when Maggie resolves to quietly allow Johnathan to continue messily enjoying his mango at Grace’s funeral, her superficial over-enthusiasm at the fair reveals an erratic loss of control which does not centre motherhood as her key goal, but rather her unrequited love of Moses. Instead, Chapter 48 switching to Jonathan’s perspective accentuated the inexplicableness of his separation from Evelyn at this point in their lives.
I would argue that this is what makes Appiah’s ending of Half Lives so compelling. Jonathan has learned to love both sisters as his mother and both Evelyn and Maggie become acutely aware of how necessary the other’s presence is in his upbringing. The story’s resolution lies in both sisters’ independent stability working in shops as their mother did and selling produce in her memory with their son’s growth at the apex of their bond.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Half Lives was a beautiful story of sisterhood, family and what a person will do for the one they love.
Told from both sisters' POVs, we as the audience are let into every single emotion both of these girls feel. The pressures, the pain, the grief, nothing is kept off the table or not explored, which makes for a good story.
I really felt for both sisters, especially when the impossible decision was made (both times). I do wish there had been more of a discussion between the sisters about the loss experienced and why it happened, as the cause and the effect it had on Evelyn for the rest of her life felt untouched.
My heart tore for both, especially when Maggie came to America, and the child in the centre of it all, who had his world cracked open. I had wished for a little bit more of the effects it had on him, but understood why it hadn't been as Maggie's focus was on creating a life for herself she thought she was owed.
The side characters that were introduced later with Evelyn felt like a breath of fresh air in her New York life, especially when she was confronted by the reality of her decision, and not the fairytale. I'm also glad her sister-in-law was on her side, but hadn't been surprised about the mother-in-law (thanks to the excellent way the author had showed us who the mother-in-law was).
I felt like I was in both locations with the sisters due to the way things were described, from the feel to the sounds and the smells. Which was lovely and immersive.
Overall, a really enjoyable story.
Told from both sisters' POVs, we as the audience are let into every single emotion both of these girls feel. The pressures, the pain, the grief, nothing is kept off the table or not explored, which makes for a good story.
I really felt for both sisters, especially when the impossible decision was made (both times). I do wish there had been more of a discussion between the sisters about the loss experienced and why it happened, as the cause and the effect it had on Evelyn for the rest of her life felt untouched.
My heart tore for both, especially when Maggie came to America, and the child in the centre of it all, who had his world cracked open. I had wished for a little bit more of the effects it had on him, but understood why it hadn't been as Maggie's focus was on creating a life for herself she thought she was owed.
The side characters that were introduced later with Evelyn felt like a breath of fresh air in her New York life, especially when she was confronted by the reality of her decision, and not the fairytale. I'm also glad her sister-in-law was on her side, but hadn't been surprised about the mother-in-law (thanks to the excellent way the author had showed us who the mother-in-law was).
I felt like I was in both locations with the sisters due to the way things were described, from the feel to the sounds and the smells. Which was lovely and immersive.
Overall, a really enjoyable story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I ADORED Rootless and have eagerly awaited Krystle Zara Appiah's next novel, Half Lives did not disappoint.
Sisters Evelyn and Maggie are close, but very different. They both dream of moving from Ghana to the US, but whilst Evelyn works hard and has aspirations to finish her studies, Maggie is more interested in her best friend's brother and spends her time avoiding helping out at their mother's shoe shop.
When an old customer turns up and wants to marry her son off to Evelyn, the sisters are excited. This will finally mean they have a chance to emigrate to the US. Evelyn is married to Gus, and Maggie sleeps with Moses, both sisters becoming pregnant at the same time. After a traumatic accident, Evelyn loses her baby. Maggie, keen to carry on her life without the responsibility and challenges of being a single mother, gives up her son, Jonathan, to Evelyn, who soon moves to New York.
What follows is an exploration of how these two sisters' lives differ, their journeys once intertwined, now taking on a life of their own. Both sisters struggling with the realities of relationships and adulthood and without each other to lean on.
I knew this book would be wonderfully written but emotional to read, and that is definitely the case.
Topics such as Dementia, spousal and child abuse, pregnancy loss, abortion, and cheating are all discussed but this book is, at it's heart, about sisters and how our family ties can change and evolve throughout our lifetimes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the eARC.
Sisters Evelyn and Maggie are close, but very different. They both dream of moving from Ghana to the US, but whilst Evelyn works hard and has aspirations to finish her studies, Maggie is more interested in her best friend's brother and spends her time avoiding helping out at their mother's shoe shop.
When an old customer turns up and wants to marry her son off to Evelyn, the sisters are excited. This will finally mean they have a chance to emigrate to the US. Evelyn is married to Gus, and Maggie sleeps with Moses, both sisters becoming pregnant at the same time. After a traumatic accident, Evelyn loses her baby. Maggie, keen to carry on her life without the responsibility and challenges of being a single mother, gives up her son, Jonathan, to Evelyn, who soon moves to New York.
What follows is an exploration of how these two sisters' lives differ, their journeys once intertwined, now taking on a life of their own. Both sisters struggling with the realities of relationships and adulthood and without each other to lean on.
I knew this book would be wonderfully written but emotional to read, and that is definitely the case.
Topics such as Dementia, spousal and child abuse, pregnancy loss, abortion, and cheating are all discussed but this book is, at it's heart, about sisters and how our family ties can change and evolve throughout our lifetimes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the prepublication digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my gosh this is a sad one! Heartbreaking at every turn, the story of the two sisters who were so close but ceased to be is well written from each of their perspectives. Without giving anything away, the particular twist in the family dynamics is somewhat surprising (in a good way in terms of adding to the story).
The domestic abuse aspect is explored and described in such a way that I was scared for Evelyn and Jonathan, at times almost begging her to make a different decision. It’s written with an understanding of how DV can lead to the victim becoming so traumatised that they lose themselves and their sense of perspective, and how they continue to be manipulated by their abuser. The novel kept me reading for a few days, wanting to know what would happen next, rooting for the sisters each with their own demons to deal with. I do recommend this book to others, but not if you’re going to be triggered by the DV parts, nor if you’re feeling a bit down - this is not an uplifting story.
Oh my gosh this is a sad one! Heartbreaking at every turn, the story of the two sisters who were so close but ceased to be is well written from each of their perspectives. Without giving anything away, the particular twist in the family dynamics is somewhat surprising (in a good way in terms of adding to the story).
The domestic abuse aspect is explored and described in such a way that I was scared for Evelyn and Jonathan, at times almost begging her to make a different decision. It’s written with an understanding of how DV can lead to the victim becoming so traumatised that they lose themselves and their sense of perspective, and how they continue to be manipulated by their abuser. The novel kept me reading for a few days, wanting to know what would happen next, rooting for the sisters each with their own demons to deal with. I do recommend this book to others, but not if you’re going to be triggered by the DV parts, nor if you’re feeling a bit down - this is not an uplifting story.
June 5, 2026
Initial thoughts:
This story is mainly based in Takoradi Ghana and America once Evelyn relocates to live with her husband Gus.
The story is set in the 1970s and it’s about two sisters and their journey into motherhood
Topics explored in this story is DV, Dementia, loss of pregnancy and
Book overview:
We follow the story of sisters Maggie and Evelyn
Evelyn is the older sister who gets married to her mother’s old customer son (Gus), who is supposedly a doctor in New York
As a young women in Ghana in the 1970s , marrying a man in the western country is an achievement and she took pride in becoming the best wife and daughter in law , she could be but the marriage turned sourer when her husband decided to turn her into a punching bag.
Maggie the younger sister and a free spirit.
She is madly in love with her best friend’s brother.
As a side chick, she unfortunately gets pregnant out of wedlock and subsequently gets robbed of being a mother to save her sister marriage .
If you’re looking for a story full of drama , then this is the book for you!
This story is mainly based in Takoradi Ghana and America once Evelyn relocates to live with her husband Gus.
The story is set in the 1970s and it’s about two sisters and their journey into motherhood
Topics explored in this story is DV, Dementia, loss of pregnancy and
Book overview:
We follow the story of sisters Maggie and Evelyn
Evelyn is the older sister who gets married to her mother’s old customer son (Gus), who is supposedly a doctor in New York
As a young women in Ghana in the 1970s , marrying a man in the western country is an achievement and she took pride in becoming the best wife and daughter in law , she could be but the marriage turned sourer when her husband decided to turn her into a punching bag.
Maggie the younger sister and a free spirit.
She is madly in love with her best friend’s brother.
As a side chick, she unfortunately gets pregnant out of wedlock and subsequently gets robbed of being a mother to save her sister marriage .
If you’re looking for a story full of drama , then this is the book for you!
July 18, 2026
Maggie and Evelyn are growing up in 1970s Ghana, and the sisters are two very different people. Evelyn is serious and sensible, looking after the home and the family, while Maggie is carefree and easygoing, skipping school and focusing on fun and friendship. Although in some ways they couldn't be less alike, the sisters share a deep love and a shared dream that one day they will move to America to start a new life together.
Evelyn's life changes when she is married to a rich surgeon already living in New York City. She becomes pregnant and eagerly awaits her travel documents while she prepares for her sparkling future. Maggie becomes pregnant too although without a husband she sees her prospects for a better future vanish, but when Evelyn loses her baby in a terrible accident the sisters choose what seems the easy answer and Evelyn takes Maggie's baby as her own.
But what seemed an easy decision becomes much more painful and complicated when minds changes. This novel had a hold on me from start to finish, it's a beautifully told story about family and love and pain.
Evelyn's life changes when she is married to a rich surgeon already living in New York City. She becomes pregnant and eagerly awaits her travel documents while she prepares for her sparkling future. Maggie becomes pregnant too although without a husband she sees her prospects for a better future vanish, but when Evelyn loses her baby in a terrible accident the sisters choose what seems the easy answer and Evelyn takes Maggie's baby as her own.
But what seemed an easy decision becomes much more painful and complicated when minds changes. This novel had a hold on me from start to finish, it's a beautifully told story about family and love and pain.
August 11, 2026
FAMILY DRAMA ON STERIODS! That is the best way to describe this book. It takes place across Ghana and America, and follows the breakdown of a family, with two sisters Evelyn and Maggie at the centre. Now the book started a little slow but a scene has to be set. And the layers you unfold, the more you read is what makes this book such a page turner. However as certain characters trigger you and others leave you feeling sorry for them. I still feel like the story feels real, like my mum or auntie could be sharing this gossip with me and I would be locked in. However the storytelling whilst so captivating and a great buddy read discussion, the ending fell flat for me. Like I needed at least 20 mor pages to wrap the story up nicely and explain certain plot points with the same detail they began with. Now I know its not a romance so the ending will be far from happy, but clear answers and reactions would have had the rating for the story much higher.
Regardless I still rate this book highly, because the writing and emotions evoked and the desire to yap about the story to everyone was there!
Regardless I still rate this book highly, because the writing and emotions evoked and the desire to yap about the story to everyone was there!
July 13, 2026
Can a decision made to save one life ever stop costing another?
This wasn’t really a book about secrets but more about the half of yourself you leave behind every time survival demands a compromise. It’s family as both refuge and wound, and the impossible weight carried by women expected to sacrifice without ever calling it sacrifice. The quiet violence of giving away pieces of yourself for the people you love until you’re no longer sure which half belongs to you. The kind of love that leaves scars instead of souvenirs.
Half Lives is my first book by this author, and I will definitely look to pick up Rootless by her now.
Thank you to NetGalley, and Harper Collins for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. This is a book that will definitely linger.
This wasn’t really a book about secrets but more about the half of yourself you leave behind every time survival demands a compromise. It’s family as both refuge and wound, and the impossible weight carried by women expected to sacrifice without ever calling it sacrifice. The quiet violence of giving away pieces of yourself for the people you love until you’re no longer sure which half belongs to you. The kind of love that leaves scars instead of souvenirs.
Half Lives is my first book by this author, and I will definitely look to pick up Rootless by her now.
Thank you to NetGalley, and Harper Collins for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. This is a book that will definitely linger.
July 25, 2026
//4.5 stars//
Evelyn and Maggie, growing up in 1970s Ghana. Although they dream of building a new life together in America, their paths diverge when Evelyn marries a successful Ghanaian doctor living in New York, while Maggie becomes pregnant outside marriage. After a devastating tragedy leaves Evelyn unable to have children, Maggie gives her newborn son to her sister so that Evelyn can raise him in the United States. Set between Ghana and New York, the novel explores immigration, family expectations, and the lasting impact of a single life-changing decision.
It was very propulsive and the characters felt very real. I think it falls slightly short of a five star for me because the ending felt much faster paced than the first four fifths of the book and this was a shame. The second book by Appiah I have read, slightly more immersive than her first, she is a brilliant author.
Evelyn and Maggie, growing up in 1970s Ghana. Although they dream of building a new life together in America, their paths diverge when Evelyn marries a successful Ghanaian doctor living in New York, while Maggie becomes pregnant outside marriage. After a devastating tragedy leaves Evelyn unable to have children, Maggie gives her newborn son to her sister so that Evelyn can raise him in the United States. Set between Ghana and New York, the novel explores immigration, family expectations, and the lasting impact of a single life-changing decision.
It was very propulsive and the characters felt very real. I think it falls slightly short of a five star for me because the ending felt much faster paced than the first four fifths of the book and this was a shame. The second book by Appiah I have read, slightly more immersive than her first, she is a brilliant author.
February 26, 2026
The plot follows two sisters, Evelyn and Maggie, one reliable, and always doing the right thing, the other going off the rails. They both dream of moving to America, Evelyn promising to take her younger sister with her if it happens. But when Evelyn does move to America after marrying a doctor, Maggie remains at home in Ghana, feeling let down by Evelyn for not taking her with her. We follow the two sisters as they go on to lead separate lives, Evelyn's, not as she had hoped, Maggie's a little more predictable.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I read it fairly quickly as a result. I particularly enjoyed Evelyn's part of the story (though the description of the structure of medical training was incorrect). Though the whole book was well written and generally enjoyable I feel Evelyn's story was just more interesting than Maggie's, but perhaps that was the point. A fairly major event towards the end of the book was unfortunately incredibly unbelievable, mainly from Evelyn's perspective, which sort of ruined things a bit as what happened didn't seem to fit with her personality.
This was a good read and I would definitely recommend it.
(Advance copy received via NetGalley)
Overall I enjoyed this book and I read it fairly quickly as a result. I particularly enjoyed Evelyn's part of the story (though the description of the structure of medical training was incorrect). Though the whole book was well written and generally enjoyable I feel Evelyn's story was just more interesting than Maggie's, but perhaps that was the point. A fairly major event towards the end of the book was unfortunately incredibly unbelievable, mainly from Evelyn's perspective, which sort of ruined things a bit as what happened didn't seem to fit with her personality.
This was a good read and I would definitely recommend it.
(Advance copy received via NetGalley)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I enjoyed this book, which is the story of two sisters born in Ghana in the 70s and living a quiet middle class life there. One sister. apparently escapes to a glamorous life in America when she marries Gus a surgeon whilst the other becomes pregnant unexpectedly and is unable to keep her child as she is not married.
The married sister’s life however is not as glamorous as all appears on the surface. Her husband is physically and emotionally abusive and his job is not perhaps not what she first assumed.
This novel covers some potentially triggering subjects but manages to do so with subtlety and poise. The book is at times raw and gut wrenching but always utterly real
The author has a beautiful flowing writing style making the book an enjoyable read
I ended up feeling deeply for both the characters I felt their character descriptions were honest and real
The combination of African and North American geography add a considerable depth to this novel . The human experiences are universal enough to make this accessible for British readers
I’d recommend this novel for those who like an enjoyable character based novel with emotional undertones. The book that I’ve read most recently that I think is similar is Someone like her by Awais Khan
I read an only copy of the novel on NetGalley UK in return for a honest review. The book is published in the UK on the 4th of June 2026 by Harper Collins UK, Harper fiction.
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, StoryGraph, Goodreads, and my book blog by bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com
After medication, it will also appear on Amazon and Waterstones
The married sister’s life however is not as glamorous as all appears on the surface. Her husband is physically and emotionally abusive and his job is not perhaps not what she first assumed.
This novel covers some potentially triggering subjects but manages to do so with subtlety and poise. The book is at times raw and gut wrenching but always utterly real
The author has a beautiful flowing writing style making the book an enjoyable read
I ended up feeling deeply for both the characters I felt their character descriptions were honest and real
The combination of African and North American geography add a considerable depth to this novel . The human experiences are universal enough to make this accessible for British readers
I’d recommend this novel for those who like an enjoyable character based novel with emotional undertones. The book that I’ve read most recently that I think is similar is Someone like her by Awais Khan
I read an only copy of the novel on NetGalley UK in return for a honest review. The book is published in the UK on the 4th of June 2026 by Harper Collins UK, Harper fiction.
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, StoryGraph, Goodreads, and my book blog by bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com
After medication, it will also appear on Amazon and Waterstones
September 8, 2026
I am currently reading this book so maybe I should wait until I am done but I am gripped by this book. I love the tension between the two personalities of the sisters. They are so different - and while Maggie is considered to be something of a disappointment to her mum, I find her to be the more spirited and I admire that she is trying find herself - even if that means making loads of mistakes.
I think the direction of the book is a very brave one that Krystle has chosen to take and I love that it is set in Ghana. My only criticism so far is that there are some areas that are not believable and I think that could have been resolved with a little more research (historical and otherwise) on life in Ghana at the time, and the Twi language terms used.
I think the direction of the book is a very brave one that Krystle has chosen to take and I love that it is set in Ghana. My only criticism so far is that there are some areas that are not believable and I think that could have been resolved with a little more research (historical and otherwise) on life in Ghana at the time, and the Twi language terms used.
July 22, 2026
Evelyn and Maggie are sisters, growing up in 1970s Ghana, but they could not be more different from each other. And while they both dream of experiencing the wider world, it is Evelyn's marriage to a doctor in London that enables her to leave sooner. Maggie meanwhile, becomes pregnant out of wedlock.
When Evelyn suffers a devastating miscarriage, the solution seems obvious and one sister takes the child of another to raise, unleashing consequences that will reverberate through their relationship and generations to come...
Engrossing and well-written, this easily earns 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
When Evelyn suffers a devastating miscarriage, the solution seems obvious and one sister takes the child of another to raise, unleashing consequences that will reverberate through their relationship and generations to come...
Engrossing and well-written, this easily earns 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
May 22, 2026
It has been a long time since a book has captivated me so much. I was enthralled from the beginning and felt every kind of emotion reading it! It’s also the first time that a book has genuinely made me feel sad at some stages.
The story was written beautifully, showing the different paths the sisters take and the consequences of them. The author dealt with some very tragic events in a really sensitive and delicate way. The character development was also fantastic and I was gutted to have finished the book!
Highly recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC!
The story was written beautifully, showing the different paths the sisters take and the consequences of them. The author dealt with some very tragic events in a really sensitive and delicate way. The character development was also fantastic and I was gutted to have finished the book!
Highly recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rootless blew me away so I knew I had to pick up whatever Appiah would write again. The book takes us all on a journey between two sisters lives in the US and within Ghana. While I did want a bit more character development beyond their reactions to the ongoing plot, I still deeply enjoyed it.
Excited for fans of We Were Once Girls to find this gem.
Excited for fans of We Were Once Girls to find this gem.
August 17, 2026
I loved this story and thank you for the early trigger warning though I didn't see it coming. Well written and I enjoyed the dialogue along with the different characters in Evelyn and Maggie's lives. Grace the mother is a central one and the timing was good.
Shame about the men in this book - this is one for the women holding it together.
Shame about the men in this book - this is one for the women holding it together.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Loved this right from the start. The characters stole my heart and I spent most of the book wanting to just hug them and save them from the pains of this life. But this is a beautifully written book, honest, hopeful and brave and I loved every second of it.
August 31, 2026
The only reason this gets any stars is because it kept me reading and I managed to finish it. Overall I was pretty disappointed by the writing - details in all the wrong places and not in the right, unrealistic dialogue/plot shifts, unsophisticated narration
June 5, 2026
The authors follow up to Rootless was really good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love how she writes about mess, drama and secrets with plot and makes the reader care about at least one of the perspectives.
I just wish we’d got a bit more dialogue between the sisters during those key moments that changed the course of their lives and when they came back together again.
I just wish we’d got a bit more dialogue between the sisters during those key moments that changed the course of their lives and when they came back together again.
July 6, 2026
I loved this book
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