Rootless
Books | Fiction / Women
4
Krystle Zara Appiah
WINNER OF THE NAACP IMAGE AWARD • A provocative debut novel about a marriage in crisis that asks the question: Can you ever be rooted in a home that’s on the brink of collapse?“Beautiful, gripping, and tender . . . a powerful and unforgettable meditation on love, belonging, and motherhood.”—Emilia Hart, author of WeywardOn a spring afternoon in London, Sam races up the stairs of his flat two at a time. There’s £1,300 missing from the bank account he shares with his wife, Efe, and his calls are going straight to voicemail. When he finally reaches someone, he learns that Efe is over four thousand miles away, as their toddler looks around and asks, “Where’s Mummy?”When Efe and Sam met as teens headed for university, it seemed that everyone knew they were meant to be. Efe, newly arrived in the UK from Ghana and sinking under the weight of her parents’ expectations, found comfort in the focused and idealistic Sam. He was stable, working toward a law career, and had an unwavering vision for their future—a vision Efe, now a decade later, finds insufferable. From the outside, they’re the picture-perfect couple everyone imagined, but there are cracks in the frame.Faced with a life-altering decision, Efe and Sam find themselves on opposing sides, forced to confront just how radically different they want their lives to be. Then one day, Efe disappears. Rootless is a heartrending story about sacrifice, family, and ambition, providing an intimate look at what happens after a marriage collapses—and if it can still be saved.
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More Details:
Author
Krystle Zara Appiah
Pages
384
Publisher
Random House Publishing Group
Published Date
2023-03-07
ISBN
0593500466 9780593500460
Community ReviewsSee all
"Efe and Sam met as teenagers when she moved to London from Ghana. They become fast friends who after years of friendship discover they can be more. Sam is steady and calm. Efe feels safe with him. Her life slowly starts to make sense again after years of struggling to find her place in the world outside of her parents expectations.<br/><br/>Sam and Efe settle into life as a married couple. He is working for a large law firm and she is working with artists in a local gallery. Sam is sure of the life he wants for himself. He envisions himself and Efe starting a family. He cannot wait to be a father. His enthusiasm is suffocating Efe. She has mentioned indirectly and directly she's not sure she wants to be a mother ever, but Sam persists. Despite taking every precaution Efe becomes pregnant and gives birth to their daughter Olivia. Soon Efe is working fewer hours at the job she loves to take care of their daughter almost full-time. Sam is constantly working and Efe feels as if she is drowning. <br/><br/>Years later the couple has found their rhythm and parenthood is a bit easier for Efe. Just when she thinks she has a handle on life again another pregnancy throws Efe into a tailspin. Efe disappears and Sam is frantic.<br/>What follows is a tale told in a series of flashbacks leading up to one life altering event.<br/><br/>As a reader I was able to feel the walls closing in around me as if I was Efe. Her sadness and desperation is palpable. I thought I knew what we were racing towards only to realize it was so very different. This novel was so unexpected and emotional. Challenging and thought-provoking.<br/><br/>**I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review."
Brandi C