Review of Kalayla

[Boluwatife O 4]

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

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3 out of 4 stars

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Jeannie Nicholas' Kalayla is a book that centers around the lives of three generations of endearingly flawed women of different races who gave one another something to care for. Themes like respect, race, honesty, love, abuse, friendship, forgiveness were weaved together in the story telling. The story is told uniquely perspectives of the different characters. The chapters are titled making it possible to know what to expect from each chapter, something I personally liked, and something that isn't so common with books in recent times.

Kalayla, the main character who links every other character is an eleven year old feisty, witty, biracial girl whose father, Jamal Leeroyce had passed under a rather tragic circumstance and she is left with the responsibility of caring for her rather absent mother, Maureen. Kalayla is shaken when she realized the truth about her mother's family and the lack of their involvement in hers and her mom's lives. It was more so hard for her since she'd been made to believe they all died under a very tragic explosion. Her parents had lied to her!
She with time learned to forgive and build her own family of people who loved and looked after her as well as her mom. One of which is Lena an old woman, whom fate dealt a hard blow. Lena felt the need to protect Kalayla as well as teach and nurture her, but Kalayla isn't the only one who has something to learn. They all gave one another a purpose and a reason to love and care again.

There's a bunch of things I like about the book but the most significant one is the happy ending. Every character got their happy ending however small or insignificant that may be. The book also acquainted the reader with the subject of racism, which was one of the main theme of the book. The book showed the consequences of racism by and large.

I, for one would have preferred if the relationship between Kalayla and her mother got even a little better than what we got. The distance between them was not really bridged.
Also, the fact that Kalayla, an eleven year old is left on her own at practically all times, wandering the street and using profanity isn't so ingenious.

Kalayla was easy to read and I enjoyed every word I read. I didn't have any real issue with the book. Therefore I will give it a 3 out of 4 stars. I'd recommend if domestic fictions are your thing. No thrills, mystery or suspense whatsoever.

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Kalayla
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