The Rest of You: A powerful tale of womanhood, friendship and the Black British experience, set in today’s London and 90s Ghana
Paperback
by Maame Blue
** 'A powerful, thoughtful novel about memory and how the past shapes the future' - Red Magazine (Best Books of October) **
An emotionally wrenching novel, set in today’s London and 90s Ghana, exploring generational trauma and what it means to be Black British, surviving between the gaps of knowledge around familial migrant journeys.
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.
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 resolve the mysteries of our past.
Perfect for fans of Candace Carty Williams’ Queenie, Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half and Anna Hope's Expectation.
'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
'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... 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 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' - Nii Ayikwei Parkes, author of Azúcar
'The Rest of You is sharply written and is a compelling read. In this book, Maame Blue is incisive in her exploration of friendship and family' - Peace A. Medie, author of Nightbloom
'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... A wonderful book!' - Kelechi Okafor, author of Edge of Here
'Gripping - you wonder what isn't being said, but you feel it anyway' - Gabriel Gbadamosi
'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' - Booklist
This novel contains depictions of violence and sexual assault.