Review by Ahbed Nadir -- Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas

[Ahbed Nadir]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Kalayla" by Jeannie Nicholas.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is an extremely moving fiction about three generations of women who become a family not by blood but simply through the strength of their love for each other. The story follows the lives of Maureen LeeRoyce, a widower struggling to provide for her daughter Kalayla after the tragic death of her husband, and one Lena Barzetti, an aged woman who owns the apartment building where Maureen and her daughter live. As Maureen struggles to put food on their table, she cannot keep as much of an eye on her daughter as is necessary, and Kalayla begins to move around on her own, exploring her newfound freedoms away from her mother's lax eye. Lena observes this and begins to worry for Kalayla, as a child should not be exposed to the world by herself at such a young age. She takes an interest in Kalayla and tries to take care of her and keep her around. As this continues, a budding friendship also begins to grow between Lena and Maureen as they bond over the shared hardships life had thrown at them and how they had survived. It's an incredibly emotional tale of love and acceptance and the importance of the presence of family.

I'm sincere when I describe Kalayla as one of the most moving books that I have read in quite a while. The author quite elegantly portrays each of her characters as a complete person, each with her hopes, dreams, and ambitions, thereby bringing them to life for the reader. I found myself relating with Maureen as she spoke of the constant discrimination she received from her family due to their racism and her life choices. I laughed along with Kalayla as I remembered what it was like to be a child, free and without a care in the world. I mourned with Lena for the tragic deaths of her sons and the loss of her family. All in all, each character was a vibrant illustration of the pains, joy, and struggles every human goes through at one point and speaks to a message of determination to rise above that to achieve one's dreams.

I quite liked the realism that the author was able to imbue the tale with. We follow our heroines through everyday activities; work, school, friends, play, and more, which helped make them more relatable and down to earth. It was very well done of the author as it allowed the story to progress at a natural pace without any sudden twists or turns.

Despite the overall aura of light of Kalayla, it still spoke to some dark and somewhat upsetting topics. It displayed the racism prevalent in the 1990s and how people of darker skin color were treated as "lesser" than their lighter counterparts, as is shown in Maureen's parents' attitude towards her husband, Jamal, a black man, and their subsequent disownment of her because of her marriage to him. It touched on issues such as rape, bullying, and abuse and, as such, was a bit upsetting to read.

Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas was very well-edited, and I detected no grammatical errors. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars as it was a fantastic read, and I had very little that I didn't like about this book. I would recommend this book to young adults and older teens as it's a heartwarming story of family and love. Still, I don't think it's suitable for younger children as it contains some profanity and instances of abuse.

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Kalayla
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[Jeff Winger]

I've just been going through your reviews and I enjoy your writing style. However I must say that I wasn't comfortable with the topics of racism and bullying displayed in the book. It felt a bit uncomfortable or controversial so to speak. It was still a good read despite this. Good work!