QWP 2023: Call For Submissions!!!

 

Quramo Publishing's annual literary and arts festival's main event is the Quramo Writers' Prize (QWP), where the winning unpublished author wins a hefty cash prize and the chance to have his or her entry published by the publishing company. 

Call for submissions for  QWP 2023 began on the 13th of February and will end on the 31st of May. Hence... tick, tock! 

To submit your entries, please visit Quramo Publishing's website and follow the instructions stated.

Good luck!! 

Review: Senzenjani Lukhele’s “Tell Me No More”

 

“Tell Me No More” was penned by Swazi author, Senzenjani Lukhele and released in 1986.  The story mostly focuses on the important rule of adoption, and the rights of a child via adoption. The story revolves round the main character Gugu;  who is thrown out of her home by her father, after being accused of adultery and insulting the village’s chief.  Gugu’s crime- if one can call it that- was actually speaking out of turn by giving an opinion during a discussion. However, one of the parties- the chief’s incensed messenger- gives a false report to the chief and his council; Gugu’s father Cele is one of the members of the council.  Cele, to Gugu’s shock as well as her mother’s,  disowns Gugu, calls her a ‘bastard’ and orders her out of his household, hence disowning her. Gugu denies the allegations against her in vain. Cele refuses to relent, dismissing her own account of what really happened.  La-Mncina, hence is forced to reveal the truth of Gugu’s paternity to her before sending her off to her older brother, who lives in Manzini. It’s only after Gugu leaves that Cele is made aware by the chief that he violated the rules of adoption, instead of consulting with the Chief and the council on how Gugu should be dealt with. He stubbornly prefers that Gugu return and ask the Chief's pardon, rather than admit any wrongdoing. 

One could argue that Gugu should not have involved herself in a discussion that had nothing to do with her. Maybe, but she meant no harm by it. She is deferential towards her elders but refuses to apologise for something she didn’t do; a hard task given how women in that society are to be seen and not heard. Still, one can applaud her for standing her ground over her innocence.

La-Mncina, Gugu's mother clearly dotes on her daughter, selling wares like pots and mats to fund her education, even keeping cows to sell to pay for Gugu’s eventual tuition for Nursing school. She was apparently fond of Cele and grateful to him for giving his name to Gugu. His actions however left her disillusioned and in the end, wants nothing to do with him.

Cele,  clearly the antagonist of the novel, is a tyrant and a misogynist with a superiority complex.  He hates being challenged and is quick to anger; he would rather pass the blame to someone else. These flaws eventually lead to his downfall at the end of the novel. His refusal to even admit that he was wrong further makes him an unsympathetic character and one would wonder if he was always like that before the incident( blown out of proportion) ever occurred. 

Probably not, since his actions and attitude shocked Gugu and his wife La-Mncina. More so his brother-in-law, Mncina who returns to Mahamba with Gugu to resolve the matter. Cele further violates tradition by refusing to be lectured by Mncina, even threatening to spear him down. When advised by the chief to ask for his brother-in-law's pardon:

'You mean I will never be head of family again. In future, if I do anything to any member of my family, she will call her elders, and I will have to ask for pardon. I can't.'

  His chief, the only one he listens to, disapproved of Cele’s decision to kick Gugu out of the house, even though he had asked him to take action against her. But he is also a traditionalist, once he finds out Gugu is an adopted child, he regrets telling Cele to do anything.  He is more concerned about keeping the good reputation of the council as well as his own, so the matter finds its way to the court.  

There, customary law is made clear. Mncina was La-Mncina’s oldest brother, hence an elder and he had the right to act on his sister’s behalf. All Cele succeeded, in the end, was making a gigantic ass of himself, yet remained in stubborn denial.

The book- 16 chapters- highlighted how important the rules of adoption were in Swaziland, now Eswanti.  And how one rash decision could grow into another, leading one to face the ramifications. Gugu was painted as the one who erred, yet Cele ended up being the wrongdoer. 

 

“It is a rule meant to protect some and to guide others. It was designed to give protection and status to does who had nothing."

Review: Sam A. Adewoye's " The Betrayer"

 The Pacesetters series (an imprint of Macmillian Publishers) was a series of books written by various African writers, targeted at young readers, ranging from romance to drama, mystery to thrillers.

"The Strange Case of William Whipper-Snapper" Revisited

This 1982 hilarious fantasy book delighted me as a child and I wrote a post about it some years ago, which brought about a comment from the author, David R. Morgan, himself. 

Recently I received some great news, a wish realised... The Strange Case of William Whipper Snapper has been republished and is back on the market!  YAY!!!

We may have works like the Harry Potter series and other modern franchises presently, but nothing beats the classics. And Personally, I'm delighted about this development because the present generation of young readers out there will be able to read this classic gem by a very talented author, and revisited by long-standing fans. David R. Morgan. who has written several more children's books and created audio poems over the years, really came through with this and we are more than grateful to him... thank you, David!          

                      

Republished by A 2 Z Press LLC,  The Strange Case of William Whipper Snapper is available to buy on Amazon., as well as David's other titles.

Plot...

William and his sister must travel through time to get rid of a talking and VERY annoying silver case after it wreaks havoc in their home. 

Happy reading! 

THE REAL MESSAGE BEHIND 'THE NEVERENDING STORY'

When the above title is mentioned, the first thing most people would probably say is, ‘Oh, gosh... I watched that movie a long time ago!’

Uh-huh... so did I as a child. It was one of the ‘holiday films’ aired on Nigerian television at the time, the sort of film shown only on public holidays and many children were probably as fascinated by it as my siblings and I were.

REVIEW: THE SECRET LIVES OF BABA SEGI'S WIVES

Lola Shoneyin’s (daughter in law of Nigerian Nobel Laurete, Professor Wole Soyinka) debut novel is an example of social realism and I was taken in by the story from page one.

THE GIDEON TRILOGY : A MUST READ!

When I first found The Gideon Trilogy, I kept wondering why I never heard of the franchise until now. I'd actually gone looking for a different book entirely at the book shop but once I saw this collection, I knew I had to have it.

Wuthering Heights: Heathcliff & Catherine

This intensely gothic classic penned by the younger sister of Charlotte Bronte- best known for Jane Eyre- should have been titled Heathcliff and Catherine or just Heathcliff instead of Wuthering Heights. Having read Jane Eyre several times over, Emily’s only novel was a surprise as it was a lot darker in tone; a love story yes, but a doomed one. After reading this, one wonders if two people who are too much alike can actually make a relationship work!

BAH! HUMBUG!: A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Like most of the read classics in my book cabinet, I read the simplified and coloured edition of Charles Dickens' 'Christmas novella' ; back when I was about 10 years old. That was the first time I was introduced to Dickens' unforgettable character, Ebenezer Scrooge a grumpy, cold-hearted old miser who actually hated Christmas!  That part was what got my interest because the author's opening line Marley's dead: to begin with- rather put me off a little.


How can I describe this Christmas tale? One word: UPLIFTING. The tale is about an old miser who paid a night visit by his late business partner Jacob Marley who (after lamenting of what he could have done besides making money during his life time) warned Scrooge he would be haunted by three spirits, "you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate",  Marley explained, so it looked like the three spirits were coming to open his eyes to his mundane and friendless life, which never bothered Scrooge before.

'Without their visits,' said the Ghost, 'you cannot hope to shun the path I tread. Expect the first one tomorrow, when the bell tolls one. Expect the second one on the next night at the same hour. The third upon the next night when the last stroke of twelve has ceased to vibrate. Look to see me no more; and look that , for your own sake, you remember what has passed between us!" 

And so did Marley's words came to pass. The first 'spirit' was the Ghost of Christmas Past- who took him to the time Scrooge was a boy, which causes a huge hit of nostalgia on Scrooge especially when he got to see his little sister Fan again, Fan had died young and left behind a son (who was more than kind and good-natured enough to invite his grumpy uncle to Christmas lunch but was coldly turned down). Then he saw himself as a young man just starting his path with young Marley under the employ of jolly Mr. Fezzwig then the sober scene of his fiancée Belle breaking up with him because he loved money and making money than wanting to marry and have a family with her... very sad and Scrooge couldn't bear seeing this repressed memory of his greatest mistake, - 'Spirit... show me no more! Conduct me home . Why do you delight to torture me?' 

The Ghost of Christmas Present came next and Scrooge saw people enjoying and celebrating Christmas which he'd described as 'HUMBUG!', his nephew's Christmas party where Fred spoke how he pitied his uncle who had money but no friends and then the humble house of his poorly paid clerk Bob Cracthit who was having a simple Christmas with his family, the brightest person there despite his fragile health Tiny Tim, the youngest child. One thing to note here, even though they were poor, the room was filled with love and Tiny Tim lifting their spirits with the words, 'God Bless us, Everyone!', which stabbed Scrooge with the guilty realisation that the very low salary he paid Bob couldn't cover Tiny Tim's medical bills.

'Spirit, tell me if Tiny Tim will live.' 

'I see a vacant seat in the poor chimney corner and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.' 

'No, no... oh no, Kind Spirit! say he will be spared.' 

Before the Ghost of Christmas Present left, he showed Scrooge two emaciated children; the boy was Ignorance, the girl was Want and warned Scrooge to beware the first especially. And when Scrooge cried if they had no source of help, the Ghost calmly repeated Scrooge's earlier cold words, 'Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?'  Talk about a guilt trip! 

Then the final 'spirit' appeared to Scrooge... the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come- the most memorable because it never spoke and:

It was shrouded in a deep  black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand.  

What Scrooge saw now, after viewing his mistakes of the past which shaped his present, the consequences. He saw people talking about a wretched man who just died and his funeral would only be attended if food was provided (eww by the way), and the man's possessions being sold cheaply. The next scene was a debtor and his family who were glad of the man's death as they would have more time to pay or not pay at all and the last, very scene of the Cratchit family as they mourn (though they try so hard to be brave) Tiny Tim's death, which upsets Scrooge greatly. The spirit then takes Scrooge to the graveyard and the moment of truth is revealed to him via a neglected gravestone, the wretched man is him to his horror; unloved, unmourned, forgotten.

Spirit! Hear me, I am not the man I was! I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why would you show me this if I am past all hope? 

Christmas morning, Scrooge is a changed man (and then some), spending Christmas with Fred and his family who were surprised yet delighted to see him, sending a turkey incognito to the Cractchits and making a donation, incognito of course for it is not said that one who is silent in his good deeds reap the bigger reward? And of course a huge pay raise for Bob which contributes to Tiny Tim's survival.

Like Oliver Twist, this story is more than meets the eye- it's not just about an old man who found redemption. It glaringly portrayed Dickens' sympathy for the poor, particularly poor children (Tiny Tim being a representative in the story) the joy of giving and sharing, especially on a festive season like Christmas and how the wealthy should do their part in helping the poor. And let's not forget, how past mistakes could shape one's present and future; Life is short and it's never too late to repent. 

Quote from book:

Many laughed to see this alteration in him, but he let them laugh and little heeded them, for he knew that no good thing in this world ever happened, at which some did not have their fill of laughter. His own heart laughed and that was quite enough for him. And it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well if any man alive possessed the knowledge." The story closes with the narrator repeating Tiny Tim's famous words: "God bless us, everyone!

Never step into THE PET SEMATARY!

In the spirit of Halloween; I choose to go over one of Stephen King's earlier works; Pet Sematary- a book, according to trivia I gleaned, he almost didn't hand over to be published because the story scared a lot of people... including himself.
And no wonder. The first edition cover is enough to terrify anyone but the story itself... how many would want to read it again? It's not just the story itself, but more about the question derived from reading it and that is... is death really better?

The plot: The Creed family moves to Ludlow, Maine (Maine the setting of most of King's works). The family consists of the father Louis, his wife Rachel (who has a morbid fear of death due to witnessing her sister's agonising death from spinal meningitis), their little daughter Ellie and their baby boy, Gage. They immediately befriended their neighbor across the road, Judd Crandall who takes them on a tour to the nearby Pet Cemetery; to Rachel's dismay, which affects her for a time and is constantly afraid her daughter would keep asking questions about death as she had a cherished pet cat, called Church. And Ellie did ask... "Daddy, why don't pets live as long as people?"

There is an aura of doom via two warnings; Judd told Louis to mind the road that runs across their house as it is constantly used by huge trucks and a warning from the ghost of a recently deceased patient he was unable to save; Victor Pascow. Pascow takes him to on a late night visit to the Pet Sematary and ominously says... 

"The door must not be opened. Don't go beyond, no matter how you you feel you need to, Doctor. The barrier was not made to be broken. Remember this: there is more power here that you know. It is old and always restless. Remember."

What barrier? What power? the reader wonders.  Louis of course was inclined to think the nightly visit was a dream, until he woke up in the morning and found his feet and the bed sheets dirty. If I were in his shoes, I would've thought it was a bad case of sleepwalking and dreaming at the same time! But he ignored it, thinking it was all a bad dream.

Then came Ellie's worst fear, while she and Gage and their mother are away, Church is run over by a truck on the road. Judd then does something that one would say was a mistake but actually, as he explained to Louis later; an action to be learned from. He took Church to the Pet Sematary but instead of the usual burying place where long dead pets were buried, took him to a further portion of the place- which is an ancient burying ground used by the Mimac Indians a long time ago. This portion has the power to bring the dead back to life. 

And sure enough, Church returned to the house as though nothing happened to him. But Louis immediately noticed something was not quite right with the cat. He's not animated at all, instead zombie-like and he smelt of sour earth, of death; plus he wouldn't eat the mice and birds he kept killing. Ellie no longer cherishes her pet on her return and urged her father to keep it away from her. While Judd did this favor to keep Ellie from grieving, he also tried to show her through her father's eyes that... sometimes death was better. 

And a huge tragedy hit the Creed family some time later, 2 year old Gage is hit by a truck on the road Judd warned them about, but of course the poor child was too young to know or care about the dangers of playing on the road. Judd sensed his bereaved friend was going to put the gruesome action to the test and warned him not to; just like Church and just like the last human who was buried there several years ago (and turned out to be an abomination), Gage WILL NOT be the same. It  was best to let the dead rest in peace, he was trying to tell him.

But intense grief could make anyone do anything. Even with what he was told by Judd and by Pascow long before Gage's death, Louis took  his dead child to the cursed ancient burial ground in the Pet Sematary.... with terrible consequences; just like he was warned about. He refused to accept that sometimes, no matter how sad and agonising,  the dead were better off dead... and by his action, his family and his life was no longer the same. For first time readers, I will not add spoilers except that Louis ended up burying two corpses that terrible night.

Like most of Stephen King's works; this was adapted to a movie in 1989 and got good reviews mostly because the screenplay was written by King himself and  King did a cameo as a priest officiating a funeral.



According to Publisher's Weekly, Pet Sematary is "The most frightening book Stephen King as ever written!'" Since the main theme of this novel is death and resurrection; and combined with the supernatural elements, no wonder he almost threw it away. But he lived up to his reputation as the master of horror with PET SEMATARY  and both the book and movie is an ideal thing to view on Halloween... that is if you're into scary stories!








HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!  

Quote from book: 

He suddenly thought of Ellie telling him, He called "Lazarus, come forth"... because if He hadn't called for Lazarus by name, everybody in that graveyard would have risen.

Jane Austen's PERSUASION

When one speaks of Jane Austen's (1775-1817) works, the discussion would immediately lead to  Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma; perhaps Mansfield Park.  But if anyone wanted to start a Jane Austen discussion with me, I would want to talk about her final book; Persuasion. 

Set during the Napoleon War era, Persuasion is about a totally different of all Austen's heroines- Anne Elliot. She's the middle child of the family; the first daughter  being Elizabeth and the youngest  one is Mary. Elizabeth is as vain and self-absorbed as their father; Sir Walter while Mary Elliot Musgrove, the only married one among the three girls- is whiny and  likes being the center of attention.

Eight years before the main events of the book, Anne was dating a naval officer she was very much in love with, Frederick Wentworth, who however was poor and in those days; a girl from good family is not expected to marry a poor man as such an alliance was deemed 'unsuitable.' Anne was persuaded by a family friend, actually a friend of her late mother who was Anne's godmother/advisor to the family; Lady Russell, to reject his proposal of marriage because of his poor status and Anne (and I have to say foolishly) did what she was told, leaving Captain Wentworth heartbroken and bitter; he then left the country.

For years, Anne was haunted by her decision as she was still in love with Frederick, which made her turn down Charles Musgrove's offer of marriage, thus turning his attention to her silly sister, Mary. Anne blamed herself for giving in to the persuasion in the first place rather than Lady Russell and her inner unhappiness was made worse by her family's complete disregard of her; and she kept asking the same question over and over... did she do the right thing by yielding to Lady Russell's advice? And, how would things have turned out if she'd defied the advice and married him anyway?

Modern readers would say she was very foolish to have broken up with Captain Wenworth because of his poverty but all the same, Anne cannot seen as a mercenary girl who cares only about money; she's nothing of the sort. Remember things were different in those days; women, mostly women of the upper class did not work hence had to marry men who would be more than capable of looking after them. Of course there were the rare modern women at the time who would use their hearts (love) rather than their heads(practicality). Anne's flaw was that she was easily led and should have shown more firmness when Lady Russell gave her so called well meaning advice. But being young and fond of her godmother, she felt Lady Russell  was wise and always right, hence the breakup.

Now Anne is 27 and resigned to remain a spinster. Meanwhile, Sir Walter has squandered most of the family fortune and is advised by Lady Russell to rent out the family home, while they move to Bath for sometime. The tenants are Admiral and Mrs. Croft and to Anne's horror, Captain Wentworth, back from the war,  turned out to be Mrs. Croft's brother! The war had benefited Captain Wentworth hence was now a rich man but still very angry and bitter with Anne for what she did to him, more so at Lady Russell for persuading her to do it. Anne had to watch in pain as he assumed a cold attitude towards her and he begins to court one of her brother-in-law's sisters, Louisa; refusing to so much as be friends with Anne. But after Louisa suffers a mishap (which was entirely her fault), Captain Wentworth saw how Anne took charge of the situation and realised she was still the sweet, level headed girl he fell in love with and how he had allowed his anger and wounded pride come between them.

Finally, he manned up and sent her a love letter, not doing her a favor of giving her another chance but asking her to give him another chance!

Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! 

Isn't that enough to make any girl feel so loved and lucky?

The book isn't just an old era romance; it's pretty much a satire. It reminded me of the historical romances I've read over the years, some by Barbara Cartland. How class and family were put above a person's integrity and accomplishments and how the self made men who made their money in trade- even those who pursued legit trade- were looked down upon and contemptuously called the  nouveau riche,  new money.

Lady Russell saw Captain Wentworth as a man with no money, no social class and no future prospects; writing him off as an unsuitable husband for Anne; I see her as a snob and an interfering busybody. What was the guarantee that a richer upper class man would have made Anne happy? Mr. Elliot, Anne's cousin only wanted to marry her to secure his position as Sir Walter's heir presumptive, not because he was in love with her, hence- he was marrying for money, not love; making him the mercenary one. Anne found love with a self-made man and was more than lucky enough to reconnect with him.

Like most classics, this novel has movie adaptations; my favorite being the 1995 adaptation starring Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds. My favorite scene was their meeting on the street, where he took off his hat, took her hand and said to her: 'I tried to forget you. I thought I had'. After which, the kiss and later on Captain Wentworth showing up at Sir Walter's party to inform him, smiling at Anne the whole time, that his proposal of marriage to Anne was accepted and he wanted his permission to fix the wedding date. Oh... the scowls on Mr. Elliot and Elizabeth's faces!

Of Jane Austen's books, I like this one best.

Quote from book: 

"If I was wrong in yielding to persuasion once, remember that it was to persuasion exerted on the side of safety, not of risk. When I yielded, I thought it was to duty; but no duty could be called in aid here. In marrying a man indifferent to me, all risk would have been incurred and all duty violated."

NEWSLETTER: 13 Reads Perfect for Fall!

Explore some of our biggest and best fall books!	Can't See the Images? View as a Webpage

“If you think about someone you've loved and lost, you are already with them” —Jodi Picoult, Leaving Time

FEATURED READS For readers of Nora Ephron, Tina Fey, and David Sedaris, this hilarious, wise, and fiercely candid collection of personal essays establishes Lena Dunham—the acclaimed creator, producer, and star of HBO's Girls—as one of the most original young talents writing today. Read a Sample In her highly anticipated new novel, Jodi Picoult has delivered her most affecting work yet—a book unlike anything she's written before. Read a Sample "Kinsella's Bloomwood is plucky and funny. . . . You won't have to shop around to find a more winning protagonist." —People Read a Sample For fans of Jodi Picoult, Kim Edwards, and William Landay, The Deepest Secret is part intimate family drama, part gripping page-turner, exploring the profound power of the truths we're scared to face . . . about our marriages, our children, and ourselves. Read a Sample NEW RELEASES Humor - Political Bestselling Author Cookbook Popular QVC Host's Cookbook! Fiction - Romance New Holiday Favorite! Non-Fiction - Pets Bestselling Author Fiction - Thriller New Thriller Fiction - Mystery and Detective Next in Series Non-Fiction - Political Memoir Soon to be a Major Motion Picture Fiction - Sci-fi New York Times Bestseller

DON'T MISS Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (On-sale 10/21/2014) "Not since Atticus Finch has a fearless and committed lawyer made such a difference in the American South. Though larger than life, Atticus exists only in fiction. Bryan Stevenson, however, is very much alive and doing God's work fighting for the poor, the oppressed, the voiceless, the vulnerable, the outcast, and those with no hope. Just Mercy is his inspiring and powerful story." —John Grisham

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The Hilarious Tale of "The Strange Case of William Whipper-Snapper"

 One of the earliest fantasy books I read as a child, which  I didn't pay much attention to  at first glance in the school library, because the time I was yet to fully appreciate fantasy books  except  Alice In Wonderland. This  highly entertaining and hilarious  page turner by David R. Morgan (his first novel) is set in Victorian times, about a boy-William Norton Whipper Snapper- very  intelligent but preferred to use his brains to cause mischief at school, much to the annoyance of his grumpy father. He does not get along with his vain tattle tale sister Emma, nor with his parents either. A few days to Christmas he discovers a strange silver box underneath the roots of an uprooted old tree, a talking, very conceited  and annoying silver box which calls itself a '1.B Prize', a talisman made by Jovian 'The Prize Maker of Theomodor' and its sole purpose is to grant unlimited wishes to its owner. William soon discovers the I.B prize brings far more trouble than good and after Emma discovers his secret, they both embark on a quest to return the prize to the 'first given' (an ancestor of theirs) , which involved going back in time until they find the right ancestor; that way, it will never be passed to William and his descendants.

The story mostly revolves round William, Emma being a supporting character and their parents not featuring much in the book. As mentioned before,  in the earlier part of the story they don't get along; Emma always trying to stick her nose into his business causing William to snap at her:

'Don't go poking your nose in where it shouldn't be, or the Man in the Moon will change it into a fat pork sausage and cook it for his supper!'

Fantasy tales usually have talismans that grant wishes but the '1.B' prize is one no one  would find useful! It's more interested in granting wishes more to keep itself in excellent working condition than to actually  satisfy its owner; as William was quick to find out and after two botched wishes  regarded the 1.B prize as ' becoming as useful as a flu epidemic.' Plus, the prize is extremely bossy and rather insulting:

'Now kindly make a proper request. I might as well be under the tree for the amount of good you're doing me!'

Emma, thanks to her usual nosiness, finds out about the prize but rather than going to tell tales to their parents (too amazed on seeing a talking silver case) gangs up with William to see what they can do about returning the stupid case who is determined to thwart them in any way it can, trying  many times to convince them to keep it.

William and Emma go back in time to find the 'first given'; first Elizabethan  England- meeting an ancestor called Lord Benjamin Whippsnappin, then encountering  Edras Whippsnapson in Norman- Saxton England before  heading to Pre-Roman Britain, afterwards meeting Jovian the Prize Maker himself.

For fans of fantasy/adventure tales, this is a very interesting comic one but I'm not sure if it's easy to find these days except online; I'm lucky enough to still have my lone copy which was bought several years ago. But if one is lucky to find it, you won't be disappointed!

Quote from  book: 

He was also coming round to realise the merits of doing things for yourself, not putting the burden of achieving something on the dubious shoulders of luck, wishes and dreams. One could say, in fact, that finding the case had, in some ways, opened his eyes.

SANDRA BROWN'S "THE CRUSH"

To date, this the only book by Sandra Brown I've read. I usually stick to particular writers: Danielle Steel, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Dan Brown, Stephen King and some other selected writers but when I found this book in the school library years ago (where I worked as a teacher), I just had to read it after viewing the summary at the back.


THE CRUSH is what I would call a thriller and I really think this book should be adapted into a movie. The story is about a beautiful doctor who finds herself stalked by a professional killer who first encountered her in his own trial as she was the forewoman of the jury who acquitted him. To impress her and show his 'devotion', he commits a terrible act on her behalf and the police's fingers all point to her as the victim was a colleague/rival. Enter a disgraced  police officer to help solve the case i.e investigate whether or not the doctor is guilty of complicity, which is rather hard on this chap as the assassin was his nemesis and he found himself genuinely attracted to the doctor, who is not pleased when she finds out the handsome stranger she was reluctantly liking was sent to spy on her; as if getting unwanted flowers and cards from her so called  admirer wasn't bad enough.

There are two main characters here; Dr. Rennie Newton and Detective Wick Threadgill. An unlikely pair. Yet they are rather alike; they are both dedicated to their line of work, both very stubborn, both cynical and jaded,  both carrying the heavy load of pain and penance on their shoulders and the assassin, Ricky Roy Lozada- their enemy.  In the first half of the book, they don't trust each other despite the growing emotional and sexual attraction for each other.  Rennie we find is calm and collected and a fine surgeon but the reader immediately senses she's hiding something. Detective Wick is an angry, bitter man and we wonder what caused him to take a long leave of absence and the reason behind his panic attacks. He is told about Rennie's past by his partner and two people who knew Rennie as a child but- and this I like about him- was more interested in hearing Rennie's side of the story. Some malicious readers would say he was letting his sexual desire for the beautiful doctor cloud his judgement but Wick simply followed his intuition; refusing to   completely judge her and very insistent she told him the real story. As they get to know each other properly, with the dark cloud of Lozada looming over them, they heal each other emotionally. Wick opens up to her about his sad past and she does the same- for the first time in years letting a man steal her heart. It's true what they say about finding love in unexpected places and situations and this was a classic example; the moment when Rennie and Wick finally made love is one of the most memorable and erotic scenes in fiction.

Lozada is a pure sociopath, it's shown that even as a child, he was incapable of love, compassion and remorse; he fears nothing and nobody. He's also super confident and narcissistic- actually believing Rennie's decision to acquit him during her jury duty was out of personal interest of him and got very angry when he saw Rennie with his enemy; regarding it as a huge betrayal. A man like that is terrifying and evil and all through the book, I was hoping he wouldn't get the chance to harm Rennie. I wouldn't say he's sick, he's just plain evil.

Wick's partner, Oren Wesley... he's an ASS; I  really detested him. He was so certain Rennie was guilty of complicity and constantly used her past against her, actually calling her 'a whore in a white coat' to Wick's face and I was glad to see Wick  immediately defending her. I would have thought someone who was less impulsive than Wick would know better; but no- Oren was horrible towards Rennie, biased and really judgmental- as a police officer he didn't seem to  want to assume the 'Innocent Until Proven Guilty' stance with Rennie, her past his main reason for his attitude and it was only after she suffers a tragedy that he relents and realized he was wrong.

The story is excellent; it's mostly about obsession and finding healing after a lot of pain- so it's not just your average detective story. It's a page turner with a good amount of suspense and the earlier mentioned VERY HOT love scene and afterwards the reader will impatiently turn the pages to see how it will all end with Rennie and Wick.

Quote from book:

"I'll be your best friend for the rest of your life. I'll try my damnedest to heal the parts of you that still hurts. I'll be an ardent and faithful lover. I'd father your children, gladly. And I would protect you with my life."

More of Becky "The Shopaholic" 's misadventures in THE SHOPAHOLIC ABROAD

By a stroke of luck I was able to get hold of and eagerly read part 2 of  "The Shopaholic" series; which is THE SHOPAHOLIC ABROAD a.k.a THE SHOPAHOLIC TAKES MANHATTAN. Once I saw the title, I wondered if Becky will behave herself and curb her shopping addiction. The setting is NEW YORK; a shopper's paradise and after the events in CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC, you would think she's learned her lesson, considering the guy at her bank was a lot kinder to her than she deserved. So now, she's in New York... at the request her boyfriend who is moving his business there and wants her with him. Has Becky turned a new leaf?  HELL NO!

Part 2 is even more  hilarious as Part 1 because being in a new city only made Becky's shopaholism far worse and why not... when several shops and NOT JUST boutiques were offering 50% off sales and stocking various items she simply MUST HAVE? Even before she arrived in New York, she was already taking advantage of another overdraft she was granted (are the people in the bank nuts???) and spending, spending, spending... aside from clothes and shoes, who on earth spends  a 100 pounds on a pack of handmade greeting cards?! Suze made her promise to spend less and the kindly chap from the bank Derek Smeath informed her he was retiring and his successor would not be as accommodating as him, so she must be very careful. Needless to say, Becky did not listen to the well meaning advice and the bills slowly started to pile up... AGAIN. Plus, Becky gets into more scrapes because not only she spends without thinking, she talks without thinking, which only makes it an even more  interesting read.

To make matters worse, Becky's addiction is exposed in the worse possible way (which nearly happened in the previous book but luckily for her, Derek gave her a break) and not only did she lose her own credibility (which made her lose her existing as well as a prospective T.V host job)  but also her boyfriend's- she made him look like a fool in front of his investors. I felt sorrier for him than for her- she was WARNED about her shopping addiction but she turned a deaf ear so basically, she had it coming! But instead of accepting her stupidity she lashes out at him (talks without thinking, remember?) about how he's been so wrapped up in his work and hitting him below the belt.  Well ...  excuse your long suffering boyfriend for trying to be a successful businessman instead of going out to buy a whole lot of new suits!

I loved this book but Becky was really annoying, silly and more irresponsible than in the previous book. To her, her problem was just 'a bit of shopping'; to others it was shopping bags piled up to the ceiling and an overstuffed wardrobe and cluttered bedroom, FULL of her stuff and piles of unpaid bills. Needless to say, after her "public disgrace", things at the bank were even worse for her and she got a much deserved scolding from Derek's successor, John Gavin:

" This is Becky Bloomwood who has had her overdraft limit extended six times in the last year... And who each time has failed to keep within those limits. This is Becky Bloomwood who has constantly lied, who has constantly avoided meetings, who has treated bank staff with little or no respect and who seems to think we're all here solely to fund her appetite for shoes!"  

Wow... harsh BUT true! One would want to feel a little sorry for Becky and surprisingly she still had some people loyal and sympathetic enough to offer to lend her money. But while I applauded her pride (she flatly refused), I couldn't sympathize all that much because she was WARNED and her boyfriend ran into a big problem because of her. She must have THIS,  she must have THAT... isn't is a veiled case of materialism, this need to simply surround yourself with possessions and spending more than you earn? I'm glad the writer, Sophie Kinsella, wrote the dramatic scenes, Becky truly needed to see how her addiction could affect people close to her and take a long hard look at herself. She however accepted her disgrace with dignity and bailed herself out with dignity- at the same time secretly redeeming herself by secretly fixing her boyfriend's crisis. What then is next for Becky?

Like I said earlier, an interesting and hilarious read and gives us a lesson- BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR MONEY!

Quote from book: 

" I know I brought it on myself..."

"That's right! You did! Becky, no one forced you to go out and spend all that money! I mean, I know you like shopping, But for Christ sake. To spend like this... It's bloody irresponsible. Couldn't you have stopped yourself?'" 

The antics of Becky "The Shopaholic" in THE SECRET DREAMWORLD OF A SHOPAHOLIC

Like Lucy Talk  and Bridget Jones Diary, THE SECRET DREAMWORLD OF A SHOPAHOLIC" a.k.a  "CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC" by Sophie Kinsella falls under the genre known as 'chicklit' (a name I'm not really fond of) and candidly told in the point of view of the heroine- this time it's a young lady named Rebecca Bloomwood. She works as a journalist in Successful Savings (a financial magazine) and shares a flat with her best friend Suze in a trendy neighbourhood in London. And she has a problem... she has a shopping addiction. If it's a new pair of shoes, a lovely looking skirt, a silk blouse or a pair of designer jeans, or anything charming, beautiful or interesting...  she MUST HAVE IT, even though she can barely afford it. Worse still, as the story begins- it turns out she is yet to pay her outstanding Credit Card bill and her overdraft. For the most of the story, she gets letters of reminders from Visa and her bank but what does she do; she fends them off with lies, then ignores the letters completely- wondering how on earth she'll be able to pay her debts. Yet she's unable to curb her addiction for shopping and tries to "cut back" but Suze- on hearing her problem- pointed out the best way to go about it was "Make More Money." But that failed- on her first day of her 'Saturday job', her shopaholic problem reared its ugly head and she gets fired. Don't sympathise, she really acted stupidly so she deserved it! And all through the story, Luke Brandon- a wealthy entrepreneur- pops in and out of Becky's life, keeping the readers guessing if he will be her dream man or not.

Some would see Becky as irresponsible, not to mention a liar and  a hypocrite- she knows very well she has debts to pay yet keeps spending, she lies to the bank and the credit card company and she actually gives financial advice when she can't handle her own finances. The word 'FOOL' kept popping in my mind whenever she spends even more and I kept shaking my head, wondering JUST HOW she would clear up  the mess she heaped herself in. But on the other hand, Becky had a few redeeming qualities; she refused to let any one bail her out by writing out a check to her- she never even told her parents she was in debt- and went out of her way to help a couple whose financial crisis was far worse than hers. Then she reaches a point where she stumbles on her moment of reckoning but will she be given the chance to change or be punished?

This is actually the first part of Becky the Shopaholic's adventures and while you would shake your head with exasperation at Becky and see her as a joke, still... you would not help but like her and hope she would curb her 'shopaholic' addiction eventually!

Quote from book: 

For years now I've kind of operated under an informal shopping cycle. A bit like a farmer's crop rotation system. Except, instead of wheat, maize, barley, and fallow, mine pretty much goes clothes, makeup shoes, and clothes (I don't bother with fallow). Shopping is actually very similar to farming a field. You can't keep buying the same thing, you have to have a bit of variety. Otherwise you get bored and stop enjoying yourself.

LOTS OF LAUGHS AND CONFUSION IN "LUCY TALK"

Like Candace Bushnell's Sex &The City, Fiona Walker's Lucy Talk evolved from a newspaper column and is a modern epistolary novel as the story is told in the form of emails, blog entries,  Microsoft journals, notes on the fridge, answer machine messages, Lucy's disposable notes to herself, letters, postcards, posters, invitation cards, menus, newspaper cuttings,  telephone conversations and even memos! Hence, a fun book to read and the reader is immediately drawn into Lucy Gordon's  funny and rather exasperating world. I've re-read it so much that the cover's rather worn but it's always like I'm reading it for the first time.

It's immediately gathered that that the heroine Lucy Gordon is an employee at the marketing department of Widgetex Ltd, which manufactures time saving gadgets. She lives at Burr Cottage with two other girls- Jane Redven ( a driving instructor and horse enthusiast) and Bella Smith (an art teacher and a bit of a goth girl) and their neighbour , Mike Ensor (nicknamed 'Big Mike' throughout) is a vet. Several people have funny nicknames in the novel; Lucy's boss Gavin Slater is dubbed 'Slave Driver', a rival/colleague at work Dave Marks is 'Ambitious Dave', a bitchy superior Gabriella Peartree is 'Fruit Bat', Bella's boyfriend is called 'Brick' (real name Phil), Lucy's little sister's boyfriend is called Scrumpy (real name Carl) and the local riding instructor (who Jane fancies) is 'Horsy Tim'.

Lucy's family consists of Malcolm who spends most of his time in the shed taking apart machinery and putting them back, her mum Liv who loves to cook except some of her dishes are  very weird (Deep-fried artichoke hearts with vermouth and lime sauce, Bread and Butter ice cream lightly drizzled with date sauce), Violet, her alcoholic ( and I think rather senile) grandmother,  Alice, her troublesome vegetarian sister and her absentee big brother- Jeremy- who lives in New Zealand (to get away from his crazy family members, except Lucy).

For most of the story, Lucy writes to Jeremy and her absentee roommate (Bella's predecessor and Lucy' best friend) Mo who apparently joined a travelling cult... don't even get me started on that.  Lucy has a boyfriend Greg, who works as a pilot in a chartering service and it's apparent to those who really know Lucy and the readers that Greg is a dirt-bag; he takes her for granted, lies to her, cheats on her and takes advantage of her but she's too much in denial, too much in love or just plain too stupid to see it until after a long while. That's how she is for most of the novel and you feel like shaking her or screaming at her for being indecisive, obsessive and simply not seeing what's going on under her nose- aside for the fact Greg was not worthy of her, she failed to see someone she knew very well was clearly in love with her. One would wonder what the guys see in Lucy Gordon (who somewhat reminded me of a less promiscuous Ally McBeal) but she's constantly described as sweet and very beautiful. Despite those two traits, Lucy is really annoying and her second attempt of finding love with Alex ended partly because of her mishandling of the relationship and her own silliness- but in that scene where the truth was revealed to her in the worse possible way, you just  can't help but feel sorry for her and call her rival/backstabber all sorts of unsavory names.

Lucy struggles between rising up the corporate ladder at work despite obstacles like rivals and periods of stress and finding her real man and at the end of the novel when she does- all you can say is 'FINALLY, YOU SILLY FOOL!' and simply laugh at how nearly she missed her chance, congratulating the lucky man who finally won her after several pages of barely veiled hints of his love for her.

Lucy Gordon is a memorable character and one simply can't help but love her and going back to her world by picking up the book again!

Quote from book: 

It's no good. I adore him. I'm going to have to say something now. No time to send this. 

LOVE, LEARNING TO FORGET & SHORTNESS OF LIFE IN "MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE"

It all began when a  recently divorced woman named Theresa found a moving letter -signed "Garret" and addressed to "Catherine"- literally in a bottle and went all her way to find the writer- after finding similar letters found by other people. She found Garret Blake and it turned out he was a widower still grieving his beloved wife Catherine who  passed away after an illness. However, despite Theresa's motive of finding him to satisfy her curiosity and Garret yet to let go of Catherine's memory- the two are immediately drawn to each other and spend a few days in each other's company. I was like wow... what a good thing. Garret will help her forget her bitterness and Garret immediately attracted to Theresa will pull him gradually out of his lingering grief.

Next thing, Theresa brings her son to visit and now it's the three of them in a close interaction, even better. But then came the unfortunate scene... Garret rummaged her drawer for paper in order to express his feelings for his new love on paper while she's out. But he found his letters instead and all hell broke loose as they argued about it when she got back; Garret storming out after accusing him of publishing his letter and hunting him down to fulfill some stupid fantasy. Such cruel words... and earlier he was trying to convince her and Kevin to live with him in his town in North Carolina- which she couldn't do easily because of her career which was really taking off.

This is where Theresa upset me further. You would think after finding love after a betrayal she would be more compassionate and give the man some time to cool off and do some soul searching- after all the man was clearly in love with her; finding love in the middle of his grief over Catherine. But what did she do? She ruled out the possibility of them being together because she was convinced he would never let go of Catherine... who wanted to always live in the shadow of a dead woman? Come on Theresa, how often does love come by after a terrible disappointment? Sure the guy is yet to fully bury the past but wanting her and her child to live with him, isn't that a start? No... she decided to end their relationship- before she got hurt and leaves, refusing to listen to Garret who tried to prevent her from leaving. Unfair and rather hasty on her part, it's not only her heart at stake here!

In the middle of his misery Garret 'sees' Catherine- whether in a dream or her ghost I'm not sure- who informs him she had guided his message to Theresa for her to find, to motivate her to search for him... she knew he would fall in love with Theresa once he saw her, which is exactly what happened! It all made sense to Garret at long last and he realised it was now time to move forward fully- leaving the past behind for good.

Tragic twist...

It was Theresa's turn to grieve as she received devastating news... Garret had gone sailing during a storm (ironically he'd gone to drop one more message to Catherine, probably to officially say goodbye to her) and drowned.

As if Theresa's heartbreak couldn't get worse, she got a message from Garrett a week after his funeral- her own 'message in a bottle' informing her of his decision to put the past behind him and commit himself to her and her son and his intention of leaving one final message to Catherine... the cruel irony he died after saying goodbye to her!

By the time I was done with this very moving  book, my hanky was soaked right through and my eyes aching and wet with my tears. It was later adapted to a movie starring Robin Wright Penn and Kevin Costner; but luckily for me, I got to read the novel first.

The whole time I kept thinking... why, just why? I'm not passing blame on Theresa or Garret but I felt the tragedy could have been avoided... Theresa was quick to write off the possibility of them having a future together- because of the shadow of a dead woman. Sometimes there is just one great love for a person but Garret found room in his heart for her, he was able to love her in the middle of mourning and she him in the middle of being once bitten; twice shy, Love is patient and compassionate, Time was kind and a great healer but she broke off things much too early.

Garret should've realised life was for the living... he couldn't expect a proper future with his new love if he was reluctant to let got of his late first love. I was happy he was able to love after Catherine; I just wish he was able to let go of the past before meeting Theresa at all. But it was not to be after all and Theresa is left with the memory of him and their brief time together before cruel fate took him away from her.

This novel clearly showed one is capable of falling in love after heartbreak but it also depicted the importance of learning to forget and how unpredictable life could be. It's the unpredictability of life that motivates one to take the plunge of changing one's life and outlook. If one kept the past and refused to LET GO of it, it leads to consequences one does not expect at all.

Message In A Bottle is  a heartrending story and major lessons derived from it.

Quote from book: 

“If you like her, if she makes you happy, and if you feel like you know her...then don't let her go.” 

THE OSU CASTE SYSTEM IN "NO LONGER AT EASE"

Every year on the first week of May, the International Book Fair is held at the University of Lagos’ multi-purpose hall. After buying a few books; I attended the writer’s forum. There were several writers, lecturers and a few journalists present and the topic discussed after “Social Responsibility & Activism” was about Chinua Achebe’s second book, No Longer at Ease. This novel was published two years after Things Fall Apart and it depicted pre-independence life in Lagos in the fifties; the age of colonialism and corruption. But what was talked about at the forum was “Chinua Achebe & the Osu Caste System in No Longer at Ease”. Professor Achebe described what an Osu was in his first novel, Things Fall Apart.

“He was a person dedicated to a god, a thing set apart- a taboo forever, and his children after him. He could neither marry nor be married by the free born. He was in fact an outcast, living in a special area of the village, close to the Great Shrine.” – Things Fall Apart, chapter 18, pgs 113-114; African Writers’ Series, Heinemann.
No Longer At Ease is set many years after the missionaries and the British Government first arrived in Nigeria; bringing with it Western Education, Christianity and Colonialism. The protagonist is Okonkwo’s grandson, Obi- the son of Okonkwo’s first son Nwoye who was given the name Isaac after he embraced Christianity and the ‘white man’s book’- as education was called back then. Obi is the first son of Umoufia to win a scholarship to study in England so a lot of hopes and aspirations are on him. Obi meets a lovely girl at a dance, Clara Okeke and they fall in love. However, Clara drops a bombshell one night, she is an Osu and therefore can’t marry Obi or rather, Obi can’t marry her. Obi is taken aback but doesn’t care about that and assures her he will handle his family and they’ll get married. The first person he tells about this was a friend who was also from Umoufia, Joseph. Joseph hits the roof when Obi said he was still going to marry Clara despite her ‘status’.
What was discussed at the forum was why Professor Achebe wrote about this; if he was trying to state his own stand about the “outcasts” or to start a conversation about the whole Osu stigmatisation. I read this book several years ago and I was filled with contempt for this Osu thing; I probably would’ve been even if I was an Igbo and not a Yoruba woman. Such beliefs and practises are so archaic and you would think that it would’ve been discarded ages ago, after the advent of Christianity and western education!
Joseph’s words to Obi after his first reaction:

“You know book, but this is no matter for book. Do you know what an Osu is? But how can you know?”- No Longer At Ease, chapter 7, pg 64; African Writers’ Series, Heinemann.
With those words, he was trying to say Obi’s ‘mission-house’ upbringing (Obi’s parents were staunch and educated Christians) and European education had made him a stranger in his own country. Obi was ignorant to the traditional customs, according to Joseph. The book also informed and reminded the reader that when a woman marries a man, she is married to the entire family, hence her family tree and reputation is very important. Joseph says to Obi:
“Look at me, Obi. What you are going to do concerns not only yourself and future generations. If one finger brings oil, it soils the other. In future, when we are all civilized, anybody may marry anybody. But that time has not come. We of this generation are only pioneers.”
Obi’s reply, “What is a pioneer? Someone who shows the way. That is what I am doing. Anyway, it is too late to change now.”
“It is not. What is an engagement ring? Our fathers did not marry with rings.” - No Longer At Ease, chapter 7, pgs 67-68; African Writers’ Series, Heinemann. Two different men are seen here. Obi is the modern, liberal man, open minded and a pioneer of change; doing away with the outdated beliefs. But Joseph is the typical Igbo man, stuck in the past and its outdated norms.
Obi however stood firm in his decision to marry Clara, despite her own reservations; even buying her an engagement ring, along with a Bible; feeling sure at least his parents would side with him. Mrs. Hannah was a devout Christian and his father was a retired catechist. Personally, I thought Mr. Isaac (Nwoye) would be his son’s ally, when I read it the first time. In Things Fall Apart, Nwoye began questioning his clan’s customs and traditions after his foster brother; Ikemefuna was killed, as ‘pronounced’ by The Oracle of the Hills and the Caves. Even though he was warned not to bear a hand in his death, Okonkwo was the one who delivered the fatal blow on the boy, with his machete; not wanting- as always- to be thought weak. That was the final nail on Nwoye’s disillusionment. He had begun having doubts about their beliefs long before, when he heard the sound of a baby crying in the thick forest. At that time, twins were regarded as evil so they were thrown into the Evil Forest to die there. Something had snapped within him and did again the night Ikemefuna died.
So when the missionaries arrived many years later, Nwoye joined the converts and became Isaac. Okonkwo cursed him for it and because Isaac never forgave Okonkwo for killing Ikemefuna, he didn’t return home for Okonkwo's burial; even though his teacher Mr. Braddeley urged him to go.
In No Longer At Ease, Isaac Okonkwo is an old man; retired from the church and we see him as a man who has done away with several ‘heathen’ customs. He wouldn’t allow invocations to be said over the breaking of kola, he forbade folk-stories as “stories like that are not for the people of the church.”
So I was full of confidence Isaac would side with Obi. Joseph played the telltale by informing the President of the Umoufia Progressive Union and word spread round about Obi’s Osu fiancée. The President was really patronizing, “You know book. But book stands by itself and experience stands by itself. So I am not afraid to talk to you.”
Obi was of course very angry when Clara and her ‘doubtful ancestry’ was brought up during the Union’s meeting and he stormed out; he and Clara refusing to speak to Joseph from then on.
With everyone’s objections towards Clara, the readers wait with bated breath for Obi’s parents’ stance. Joseph informed Isaac in a letter about Obi and Clara. Isaac tells his son he can’t marry ‘that girl.’ Obi is shocked at his father; he thought he knew him and for heaven’s sake, the man was a retired catechist! He argued:
“I don’t think it matters. We are Christians.”
Isaac after all shed off all the practices he regarded as ‘heathen.’ Wasn’t this objection towards Clara one too?
But Isaac is disappointingly resolute. “We are Christians, but that is no reason to marry an Osu.”
Obi: “The Bible says that in Christ there are no bond or free.”
Isaac: “My son, I understand what you say. But this thing is deeper then you think.”
Obi: “What is this thing? Our fathers in their darkness and ignorance called an innocent man an Osu, a thing given to idols and thereafter he became an outcast, and his children, and his children’s children forever. But have we not seen the light of the Gospel?” - No Longer At Ease, chapter 14, pgs 120-121; African Writers’ Series, Heinemann.
Good argument from Obi, one would say and as a man of the church, such a speech would strike a chord in Isaac; who went out of his way to become a Christian, shedding all the ‘heathen practices’, motivated by what happened to Ikemefuna. But no, Isaac still didn’t agree.
“Naaman, captain of the host of Syria, was a great man and honourable, he was also a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper. Osu is like leprosy in the minds of our people. I beg of you my son, not to bring the mark of shame and of leprosy into our family. If you do, your children and your children’s children unto the third and fourth generations will curse your memory.” No Longer At Ease, chapter 14, pg 121; African Writers’ Series, Heinemann.
Even with his education and religion, Isaac was still an Igbo man at heart, unable to shed off that particular archaic belief and actually comparing Clara with a biblical figure. Did he conveniently forget that Naaman was cured of the leprosy by God? And what’s the point of getting baptized and call yourself a Christian when you say “this thing is deeper than you think”?
Hannah, Obi’s dying mother added her own, “If you want to marry this girl, you must wait until I’m no more. If God hears my prayers, you will not wait long. But if you do the thing while I’m alive, you will have my blood on your head, because I shall kill myself.” No Longer At Ease, chapter 14, pg 123; African Writers’ Series, Heinemann. Yet this was the same woman who told her children not to accept “heathen food” and who cut off the head of a ‘sacred’ goat that wandered into her kitchen and ate up the yam she was preparing to cook- and received angry threats and for a while ostracised.
What therefore was Professor Achebe trying to tell the readers? That despite Christianity and Western Education, the Igbo still retain the ‘traditional/cultural mentality’ about certain things? Or that cultural beliefs are more significant than the ‘white man’s’ teaching; Isaac pointed out to Obi that the matter was deeper than he thought, even though he is a staunch Christian. Apparently, Isaac is an Igbo man first.
It can’t be said that Western Education and Religion didn’t civilize Africa, because it did. But In No Longer At Ease, it can be seen that culture has more priority than religion and despite it being many years since the missionaries’ first arrival; there are some beliefs that can’t or refused to be cast aside. How strange it is that in the novel, those who are fortunate enough to get an education and have Christian names lord over those who don’t (except Obi) yet in the eyes of the rest of the world; reading about this attitude, they are hypocrites who may be educated yet are still so backward in their thinking.