We often consider our family histories as exceedingly revealing and special, worthy of being cherished and passed down so as to ensure that generations to come are informed and connected to their family lore. Sometimes, the knowledge that connects family members to one another is regarded as fateful, as a window into the trajectory of generations to come. Many generational sagas explore the ways in which families collectively (and sometimes subconsciously) influence each other’s lived experiences. But how much are our actions affected by longstanding relationships in reality? Is it possible to escape the path that past family members have carved out for us? Both sweeping and poignant, the following books explore the endurance of love, loss, and trauma within and between generations.
Homegoing is a family saga that spans many generations and hundreds of years, twining the lives of a large cast of characters to delve into some of the turmoil experienced by families living in historical Ghana and up to present-day America. Yaa Gyasi’s extensive exploration of the ways in which war, slave trading, prison systems and addiction manifest in family systems highlights the significance and permanence of generational trauma. Fans of expansive multi-perspective tales will find this well-researched novel to be gripping and unique.
Through highly elaborate, ornate prose, Jeffrey Eugenides tells the story of a family’s move from a small Turkish town to Detroit, as well as the trajectory of their intersex descendant, Cal. Middlesex dually focuses on identity crises and biological conditions that are born out of complicated family dynamics. Eugenides combines a detailed account of Cal’s gender exploration with some details from his own lived experience to produce this critically acclaimed novel.
How would you fictionalize your ancestor’s stories? While the other novels in this post trace connections between family members within the novel itself, Half Broke Horses offers an alternative form of family saga. In it, Jeanette Walls reaches into her own generational history to tell the story of her grandmother Lily Casey Smith’s life. Pick this book up if you enjoy westerns and biographical writing.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez is considered by many to be a founder of the magical realism genre. His eloquent, poetic novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, follows the rise and fall of seven generations of the Buendia family in a fictional town called Macondo. Garcia Marquez intertwines real-life scenarios with extraordinary twists and turns to encourage readers' curiosity about topics like fate, legacy and the repetition of history.
Crime syndicates. Magic. Extraordinary powers. Kung fu. These are just some of the exciting topics featured in Jade City, Fonda Lee’s first entry in The Green Bone Saga series. Get ready for an action-packed adventure that follows a powerful family and their battle against rival forces.
What are some of your favorite multigenerational sagas?
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