Official Review: Mirrors of Life by Neal Owens

Renu G · Post by **Renu G** » 30 Sep 2019, 02:16

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mirrors of Life" by Neal Owens.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Mirrors of Life is a debut novel authored by Neal Owens. The story and the quality of the publication are very impressive. I have read several books on the lives of African Americans, and most of them lay stress upon the value of education for the advancement of their communities. They also mention about juvenile delinquency, single-parent families, and how women protagonists train their children to cope with racial discrimination. Neal includes all these sociological themes, but he seems to be relatively more innovative in the endeavor.

It is an entertaining read with several coming-of-age personalities and young adults. Yvonne is a teenage mother. She desires her son, Mister, to be educated and not be influenced by his father. She falls in love with Cedric and gives birth to Derrick after he leaves for military combat. Yvonne marries Charles, and they have twin children, Junior and Charlene, with reddish-brown skin. The novel contains scenes of romance, graphic sexuality, abuse, and murder. I do not wish to spoil the read by sharing how these characters are impacted. Most of them are exceptionally gifted and internationally acclaimed. Junior is a sportsman. Derrick starts a film company and has dreams of being a venture capitalist to economically empower Black communities.

The character development in Mirrors of Life is fantastic with its Hollywood style. In my opinion, the story contains a lot of wishful thinking that is rarely found in real life. It could make a good movie because of its fast pace. There are scenes of violence with no time for families to mourn the loss of dear ones. I was amazed at their level of fortitude as well as their immediate acceptance of crisis and wondered whether they had been desensitized by the frequency of such occurrences among the Blacks. Scriptural references are scattered throughout the story and are inspiring. The love and solidarity among family members are touching. They see the dead continuing to live in their dear ones.

However, the concept of mirrors is very vague. I could not relate the images on the cover page with the title and contexts in which mirrors are mentioned in the book. One of the characters claims to see a dead relative in the mirror on several occasions. The author should have explained this clearly. I was surprised and disappointed after reading the last chapter as it turned out to be a cliffhanger. Nevertheless, it has stimulated my curiosity to read the continuation of the story in the next novel.

As mentioned in the book, the text seems to have been professionally edited. I found only a few typos. Overall, it is an excellent read. I rate this novel 4 out of 4 stars. I did not give a lower rating because it is unique and entertaining. It may appeal to young adults, social workers, pastors, and educationists. It is not meant for children because they may feel disturbed by the contents.

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Mirrors of Life
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Helene_2008 · Post by **Helene_2008** » 01 Oct 2019, 08:01

That's interesting that the title didn't really make sense for the book. I always enjoy the moment when I find a reference to the title of the book within the text.

tristenb · Post by **tristenb** » 01 Oct 2019, 09:54

As a licensed social worker (even though I don't practice), I do think that you are right to say this would be an interesting book for social workers and other professionals to read. It deals with a lot of issues the black community faces and can help others understand their experiences. Thank you for your review.

Erin Painter Baker · Post by **Erin Painter Baker** » 01 Oct 2019, 10:44

With a subtitle of "What is your life in the mirror?" I would expect a little bit more about that, about divergent paths, something. This does sound like an interesting book to read.

Shivy · Post by **Shivy** » 03 Oct 2019, 11:24

Sounds like it would make a great movie. I would prefer a non fiction read on the subject matter. Interesting take on formulation of mirrors in the story book, especially the way it is encapsulated in the title. Thanks for the review.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 03 Oct 2019, 18:45

The title did catch my attention. I enjoyed your thoughts on the mirrors and wonder if that aspect will expanded on in the next book. Great review.

Mrunal Tikekar · Post by **Mrunal Tikekar** » 08 Oct 2019, 07:31

The title is quite unique and intriguing. I liked your review. It definitely has a making of a movie!

SomaKenya · Post by **SomaKenya** » 25 Oct 2019, 03:52

It is not a book title I would look at twice but your review will make me put it on my shelf as a must read..excellent

DrPatti8454 · Post by **DrPatti8454** » 25 Oct 2019, 13:56

I agree with SomaKenya that you can't judge a book by it's cover. Based on the image reflected, I thought it was a scifi novel or a book about aliens. After getting past the cover, the review made the subject matter more appealing.

Dorcas Serwaa Adu · Post by **Dorcas Serwaa Adu** » 26 Oct 2019, 20:06

Seeing the title as mirrors, my immediate thought was that, oh so it's gonna be about how one sees themselves, or mirroring a mirror(following the footpath of someone) and I think I'm a bit accurate on that and more on the clear side after the review. In all, I think it will be an exciting read, taking out the part that there's a cliffhanger at the end of the book

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iamjakepitts · Post by **iamjakepitts** » 29 Oct 2019, 07:37

With a subtitle that is in the form of a question I would assume that the content of the book would lend to some kind of response. Interested to read to see if the title might provoke different readers. Thanks for sharing this review!

Samisah · Post by **Samisah** » 29 Oct 2019, 08:38

African American authors often try to use their gifts to enlighten and uplift their communities and I love it. The tales and themes depicted here are the daily topics preached to blacks on a daily basis. However I am disappointed that the title has little or no bearing on the content. Great review though

Csmoke · Post by **Csmoke** » 10 Nov 2019, 20:02

The title of the book got my attention but the picture on the front threw me for a loop and that’s really why I wanted to see what this book was about I really like what I read hope to read more.

gali · Post by **gali** » 12 Dec 2019, 09:50

A fiction tale revolving around an African-American woman's efforts to teach her kids how to deal with racial discrimination sounds inspiring. Great character development, fast paced, and messages are qualities of a good book. That it was well-edited is another plus. I don't care for Scriptural references in fiction, but I am glad you found them inspiring. Thank you for the review!