Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Racial grievances, abuse, love, and forgiveness interweave with an 11-year-old girl discovering herself. Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is a beautiful story about three multi-cultural and bi-racial families. Kalayla is a girl who is learning to be true to herself. She is wondering where she stands in this society and she tackles her past and future straight-on.
In this novel, the lives of three generations become entwined when the recently widowed Maureen, and her daughter Kalayla move to Cambridge, Massachusetts to start fresh. After Maureen’s husband, Jamal, passes away in a car accident, she moves with her daughter to a flat building owned by Lena, a comparatively more aged & affluent woman who is also a widow. Lena, whose two sons are martyred in Vietnam and the other two are disconnected from her, takes an interest in Kalayla and soon starts paying her to do some odd jobs. This swiftly leads to her developing a friendship with Maureen. Lena does whatever she can to educate the insolent Kalayla with some manners, and also helps to make life less demanding for Maureen. But both women have had unpleasant pasts, and Maureen has a secret, the confession of which will shatter Kalayla.
What impressed me the most about this book is how eloquently Nicholas weaves in the backstories with the present-day story. The memories of the characters are portrayed effectively in snippets while also moving the plot forwards at an efficient pace. Accordingly, the difference between the past and the present is also clearly stated, which evades the possibility of any confusion. Nicholas does a masterful job at setting the scene in every chapter with the use of gorgeously written imagery across all senses. The vocabulary used is simple & straightforward but works effectively. The inner thoughts of the three contrasting characters are captured almost perfectly, as they, along with written tone changes, succeed in reflecting the characters’ age & maturity. It also doesn’t fail to exhibit the innocence of an 11-year-old child amidst her harsh & chaotic personality. Moreover, the author proficiently depicts how a child sees the world and how her perception & understanding of the world changes when she gets to know how obnoxious reality can be.
One thing that made me proud is how Nicholas doesn’t shy away from writing about genuine issues that exist today in our society. Be it racial injustice, domestic violence, toxic relationships, or family issues – Nicholas does a brilliant job with writing about them pragmatically and not just acknowledging them superficially. All the characters are grounded in reality and therefore, the reader can connect with them. The author also doesn’t hesitate to make you feel the characters’ emotions, especially pain. The story makes you empathize with the characters, mainly the three leads. You might even shed a tear here and there. Maureen’s love for Jamal before & after his death and their chemistry is elegantly depicted. The relationship between Maureen and Rico is also truthfully & delicately dealt with. They don’t jump into a romantic relationship; instead, Maureen realizes her priorities and mourns Jamal’s death.
The main criticism that a punctilious reader like me can make about this book is that it is unevenly paced. Especially in the middle, where it might seem that story is dragging. It can be a little difficult for the reader to keep reading attentively through those slow-paced sections. The beginning of chapter one is regular, and not a hooking start that readers like me enjoy. Additionally, the book doesn’t seem to have been properly edited, as I stumbled upon a few grammatical errors, like missing pronouns. This book might also not be for a wider audience. Readers expecting to explore some intense events or plot movement may be disappointed with what they receive.
In conclusion, I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. The deep & brave dive into real social issues was impressed me a lot. Besides, I love whenever an author manages to build an emotional connection between the reader and the characters. In this novel, the author didn’t just manage to build that connection, but she magnificently made you feel every emotion the character was feeling. The deduction of one star was majorly due to the grammatical errors and the uneven pace. As for recommendations, I said this book isn’t for everyone. But for readers who savor the contemporary genre and love reading realistic stories that delve deep into the characters’ past and conscience, this book is for you. And it can be read by audiences of any age, ranging from youth to old. Trust me, this book packs an emotional punch and you won’t be disappointed.
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