Effia and Esi: two sisters with two very different destinies. One sold into slavery; one a slave trader's wife. Taking us from the Gold Coast of Africa to the cotton-picking plantations of Mississippi; from the missionary schools of Ghana to the dive bars of Harlem, spanning three continents and seven generations, Yaa Gyasi has written a brilliant novel with a vivid cast of characters. A riveting, kaleidoscopic debut novel and the beginning of a major career.