Overview

An emotionally wrenching novel tackling key themes such as generational trauma and what it means to be Black British, surviving between the gaps of knowledge around familial migrant journeys, set in today's London and Ghana in the mid-90s. On the cusp of thirty, Ghanaian Londoner Whitney Appiah was born with a special gift. The massage therapist can physically sense where her clients' trauma lies and heal them. But Whitney has no idea that she too is suffering. Tragic events from her youth have left a terrible, unseen mark. When a dangerous encounter with the man she's dating triggers a wave of fragmented recollections, Whitney embarks on a journey to reclaim her memories and the truth that is buried deep in her early years growing up in Kumasi, Ghana. Spanning three decades, told through the viewpoints of Whitney, her aunts Gloria and Aretha, and their house help Maame Serwaa, The Rest of You explores what happens when we try to move forward through the lacuna of our past. 'A novel that doesn't shy away from the modern issues of being Black and female. At times heartbreaking, this portrait of a family coming to terms with a tragic past is vivid and tender.' Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City 'Maame Blue's skill at crafting characters that take bits of your heart with them as you read the final pages; is a true gift. Following the characters through the intertwining of multiple timelines brought forth the force that yearning and longing actually possess. A wonderful book!' Kelechi Okafor, author of Edge of Here 'Equal parts romance and coming-of-age story, Blue's emotionally charged debut explores the highs and lows of love...Those looking for heavy emotion in their romance should jump on this one.' Publisher's Weekly on Bad Love 'What is singularly powerful about Bad Love, and commendable for this reason alone, is that the winners and losers in love are all Black. It's so unusual to have a Black woman lead in a romance story, that it is sadly still remarkable.' Words of Colour on Bad Love

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9780857308795

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Reviews

A novel that doesn't shy away from the modern issues of being Black and female. At times heartbreaking, this portrait of a family coming to terms with a tragic past is vivid and tender 'Maame Blue's skill at crafting characters that take bits of your heart with them as you read the final pages; is a true gift. Following the characters through the intertwining of multiple timelines brought forth the force that yearning and longing actually possess. A wonderful book!' -- Kelechi Okafor, author of Edge of Here and Strong Like Me

A powerful, thoughtful novel about memory and how the past shapes the future * Red Magazine (Best Books of October) * A beautiful, compelling exploration of familial bonds, trauma and the secrets of the past. Maame Blue's tender, emotionally rich portrait of diasporic Black lives is a novel to return to. Highly recommended -- Irenosen Okojie, author of Hag Maame Blue places vulnerability and emotional truth at the heart of this novel, interwoven between place, time and character. A sober meditation of how an individual's present is shaped by their collective past, The Rest is You is surprising and tender, precise and free-ranging. A novel of layers, heartfelt meaning, and revelation -- Courttia Newland, author of A River Called Time A novel that doesn't shy away from the modern issues of being Black and female. At times heartbreaking, this portrait of a family coming to terms with a tragic past is vivid and tender Shuttling between Kumasi, Ghana and London, England, as well as between past and present, The Rest of You is a story of friendship, loss, trauma and hope, that explores multi-generational pain and the secrets and silences that families can fall into in a bid to move forward. The Rest of You is a quintessential immigrant story with a particular Black British twist, with its characters sometimes misremembering their roots, but shaped by them, their journey to completeness dependent on learning and accepting that history is their foundation, hybridity is their power and togetherness is their strength -- Nii Ayikwei Parkes, author of Azúcar

A novel that doesn't shy away from the modern issues of being Black and female. At times heartbreaking, this portrait of a family coming to terms with a tragic past is vivid and tender

A beautiful, compelling exploration of familial bonds, trauma and the secrets of the past. Maame Blue's tender, emotionally rich portrait of diasporic Black lives is a novel to return to. Highly recommended -- Irenosen Okojie, author of Hag Gripping - you wonder what isn't being said, but you feel it anyway -- Gabriel Gbadamosi A novel that doesn't shy away from the modern issues of being Black and female. At times heartbreaking, this portrait of a family coming to terms with a tragic past is vivid and tender Maame Blue's skill at crafting characters that take bits of your heart with them as you read the final pages; is a true gift. Following the characters through the intertwining of multiple timelines brought forth the force that yearning and longing actually possess. A wonderful book! -- Kelechi Okafor, author of Edge of Here and Strong Like Me

A beautiful, compelling exploration of familial bonds, trauma and the secrets of the past. Maame Blue's tender, emotionally rich portrait of diasporic Black lives is a novel to return to. Highly recommended -- Irenosen Okojie, author of Hag A novel that doesn't shy away from the modern issues of being Black and female. At times heartbreaking, this portrait of a family coming to terms with a tragic past is vivid and tender Maame Blue's skill at crafting characters that take bits of your heart with them as you read the final pages; is a true gift. Following the characters through the intertwining of multiple timelines brought forth the force that yearning and longing actually possess. A wonderful book! -- Kelechi Okafor, author of Edge of Here and Strong Like Me

Blue's evocative prose and keen insights make for a compelling read, inviting reflection on the nature of trauma and the quest for identity. This powerful story affirms Blue's place as a significant voice in contemporary literature -- Enobong Tommelleo * Booklist * Maame Blue places vulnerability and emotional truth at the heart of this novel, interwoven between place, time and character. A sober meditation of how an individual's present is shaped by their collective past, The Rest is You is surprising and tender, precise and free-ranging. A novel of layers, heartfelt meaning, and revelation -- Courttia Newland, author of A River Called Time A beautiful, compelling exploration of familial bonds, trauma and the secrets of the past. Maame Blue's tender, emotionally rich portrait of diasporic Black lives is a novel to return to. Highly recommended -- Irenosen Okojie, author of Hag Gripping - you wonder what isn't being said, but you feel it anyway -- Gabriel Gbadamosi Shuttling between Kumasi, Ghana and London, England, as well as between past and present, The Rest of You is a story of friendship, loss, trauma and hope, that explores multi-generational pain and the secrets and silences that families can fall into in a bid to move forward. The Rest of You is a quintessential immigrant story with a particular Black British twist, with its characters sometimes misremembering their roots, but shaped by them, their journey to completeness dependent on learning and accepting that history is their foundation, hybridity is their power and togetherness is their strength -- Nii Ayikwei Parkes, author of Azúcar

Author Information

Maame Blue is a Ghanaian-Londoner, part-time Melbourne resident, and author of the novel Bad Love (Jacaranda Books), named as one of the top 3 debuts of 2020 by Cheltenham Literature Festival. She is the winner of the 2021 Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the Betty Trask Prize. Maame is also a recipient of the 2022 Society of Authors Travelling Scholarship, an Arts Council England 2022 Develop Your Creative Practice grant, and was a 2022 POCC Artist-in-Residence. Her short stories have appeared in Not Quite Right For Us (Flipped Eye Publishing), New Australian Fiction 2020 (Kill Your Darlings), and Joyful, Joyful (Pan Macmillan). Maame's writing has appeared in multiple media publications, including Refinery29, The Independent and iNews.

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