Krystle Zara Appiah

A provocative debut novel about a British Ghanaian marriage in crisis that asks the question: Can you ever be rooted in a home that's on the brink of collapse? It seemed everyone knew Efe and Sam were meant to be--everyone except for Efe and Sam. Efe, newly arrived in the UK from Ghana and sinking under the weight of her parents' expectations, finds comfort in the focused and idealistic Sam, also Ghanaian, but for whom the UK feels like home. He's stable, he's working towards a law career, and he has a vision for his future. Efe, on the other hand dropped out of university, works at a bookstore, and dreams about life as an art curator--a dream her mother condemns. After spending years as best friends, Efe and Sam begin a fling that ends with the two of them married and starting a family. Their love story couldn't seem more perfect. But you know what they say: Looks can be deceiving. Motherhood for Efe might as well be a crime scene. She's just getting used to having a toddler when a second unplanned pregnancy throws her for a loop, forcing Sam and Efe to confront just how radically different they want their lives to be. Already swallowed by the demands of motherhood and feeling the dreams she had slipping away once again, Efe flees to Ghana, leaving Sam and their daughter behind. As Sam's illusion of their perfect marriage crumbles before him, Efe is determined to figure out which life she should pursue: the stability of her marriage, or the reawakened freedom she's finally found as an artist herself. A heartrending love story about motherhood and sacrifice, Rootless provides an intimate look at what happens after a marriage collapses, leading two people to rediscover what they ultimately want--and if it's still each other.

Rootless

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 Weyward On 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.

A Novel

There are two sides to every love story... ‘Both tender and powerful; almost unbearably moving. It broke my heart’ Louise O’Neill ‘Brave, insightful and heart-breaking’ Rachel Edwards ‘Beautiful and gripping... unforgettable’ Emilia Hart, author of Weyward

Krystle Zara Appiah

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