Actual rating: 4.5 
 I don't read a lot of literary fiction. It intimidates the hell out of me, which makes me scared to pick it up. However, I'm in a book club now and this was the book that was chosen so... I had to read it. And I really enjoyed it. 
 I can't believe this is a debut novel. Yaa Gyasi has written a complex family history that she somehow manages to fit in 300 pages, without the feeling that anything has been sacrificed. These characters only get about 20-30 pages to tell their stories but they feel so complete, and you move onto the next story with a real sense of who that character was. 
 This is an important book and I'm glad I read it. I might also be more inclined to pick up other literary fiction works, which makes me pretty happy.