Review of Trends and Patterns

[Rishaunda Lynnette Britton]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Trends and Patterns" by Ngozi Ezenwanyi Umunnakwe.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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"Trends and Patterns," written by Ngozi Ezenwanyi Umunnakwe, is a fictional account that mainly dwells on the incidents in the life of Dineo and her family, along with the realities of teenage pregnancy, rape, passion killing, attempted suicide, HIV/AIDS, and other personal and social issues prevalent in Botswana in the 2000s. The major character, Dineo, is a kind lady who, through years of hard work and commitment, has attained the position of matron at General Hospital, Molapo. But life has been harsh for her and her family.

Dineo's kindness endears her to her patients, and this is exactly how she becomes friends with Tricia, one of her patients. As they get closer, Dineo finds Tricia a trustworthy friend to share her problems and concerns with, and eventually, she permits Tricia to write about them, hoping that others learn some lessons from them. Tricia, now the narrator, tells us many things about Dineo, including her mother, Mma Dineo; her brother, Jabu; her husband, Modise; her children, Mpho, Lorato, and Kabo; and her grandchildren, Khumo and Tebogo. We see certain trends and patterns run through these personalities and the country of Botswana at large.

I truly appreciated Umunnakwe for using her work to address the aforementioned social and personal issues and concerns. The setting is Botswana, but these issues cut across every nation and society on earth. Many families are going through generational crises (jinx or predestination), where everyone eventually ends up in the same trap, no matter how hard they try to escape it. It becomes more painful when a potential "savior" also gets consumed. Through it all, however, this account encourages those who are already victims to move on and never give up on life and those not yet "drowned" to do everything possible to redeem themselves, especially by seeking the providence of a higher power.

There is background information about the culture of Botswana people, a careful study of which reveals how those are directly or indirectly responsible for certain social problems prevalent in the then-Botswana society, as can be seen in what the people do to test a girl's fertility and in relying on "sangoma" for advice on HIV/AIDS treatment. I appreciate the subtle call on the powers that be to checkmate the excesses of non-state actors, determine when overall public good should override certain human rights and privacy, and come up with preventive measures to eradicate such incidences as teenage pregnancy instead of just rolling out monthly upkeeps.

Dineo is my favorite character. I admired her courage, hard-working spirit, and foresight. Beyond the ashes of failure, disappointment, and betrayal, we see how the gift of true friendship shapes another path and chapter in her life and that of her family. What could those be? When we find out, can we then appreciate it when people say there is triumph even in death? However, I would like the author to consider checking the plausibility of Dineo, a "matron" at a general hospital, having unprotected sex with a stranger (Modise) without first ascertaining his HIV status. Also, it didn't seem real to me that Dineo, despite being a "matron" at the general hospital, could not seek ARV services even when her HIV status was clear. That left me questioning her qualifications and the ethics of her profession (one of which is to protect one's self to ensure a safer society). These are the two aspects I think need improvement.

This is a well-edited work. I found just one grammatical error in it. It's my pleasure to rate this book five out of five stars for the in-depth exploration of the personal and social issues covered here and the lessons it offers. I do not consider the aforementioned concerns serious enough to warrant the removal of any stars. Finally, I recommend this novel to only adults; this is in consideration of themes like suicide, passion killing, and rape.

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Trends and Patterns
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[_akinyisheila]

Love that you commend Ngozi Ezenwanyi Umunnakwe for skillfully addressing profound social issues in Botswana, offering a nuanced exploration of generational crises and cultural dynamics.

[Anil Baade]

You've explained very well about the book and you have mentioned the content of the book very nicely. I'll definitely start reading this book.

[Vinay Penubothu]

Thank you for your detailed review! Your insights have piqued my interest, and I'm excited to dive into the book. Your review convinced me it's a must-read. Thanks for sharing your thoughts - they've inspired me to explore further