Review by Companion Adedeji -- Mixed Blessings by J.M. Muse
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Morenikeji Adedeji
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Review by Companion Adedeji -- Mixed Blessings by J.M. Muse
[Following is a volunteer review of "Mixed Blessings" by J.M. Muse.]
The book, Mixed Blessings by J. M. Muse is a fiction set in contemporary USA. It is temporally divided into two parts of the present moment and two years later. It has many subplots but the two recurring themes in the book are religion and racial conflict. It is also a book which explores the innate hunger of mankind for power and dominance. The various ways the characters devise to strive for their sense of belonging is less important to them than their goals.
The author lays out the plot for us with the use of strong characters. Michael Kublai Khan, a black man is the head of The House of Jeremiah Temples. He is of the belief that one drop equals a whole. In order to bring his belief to life, he joins forces with an Asian religious leader, Reverend Hung, his ad pro fiancee and other experts. The goal is to create a “Babylon that is ruled by Black people in a shared vision with other people of color, without the yoke of the White man.” He ultimately uses a large percentage of people and resources from the church for his dream.
Pastor Dalton, the opposing force for Kublai Khan believes in the absolute domination of the White man. He considers mixed race children abominable. With a self-conviction of doing God’s work, he mobilizes soldiers to wipe out the new Babylon. This leads to the major contention in the book. There are other characters who exemplify how people of different and the same race deal with each other.Their actions are used to tell readers about the kind of chaos that could erupt when one is condemned racially or denied of a sense of belonging, sometimes resulting in death.
Something to be highly appreciated about the book is its bold and symbolic nature. Racism is not new to any part of the world, likewise religion which to some has become like shackles instead of salvation. The author with his storytelling has captured scenarios for us within pages. The symbolic part reigns when the author uses simple descriptions to tell us important things about characters. An instance is when Rachel Solberg is described as someone “with salt and pepper hair cut short to show her pride in maturity and the ability to tell the truth without doing harm.”
The book also invokes strong thoughts which is something I also appreciate. As a reader, I got confounded with questions: Is race a personal or collective thing? Why does it even exist? Is belonging to a race a choice or an imposition? Will racism ever end? Another thing I do like about the book is its great dialogue. It is natural and free-flowing with no unnecessary use of words.
What I disliked most about the book is the disharmony of its subplots. They are too far apart for me as a reader. It seemed to me that the author found it hard to shift focus from one subplot to another. One would read a portion for so long then had to be reminded of the existence of another later. There are only a handful of errors in the book which do not disturb the flow of reading.
I will rate the book 4 out of 4 stars, because of its powerful message and manner of delivery. I highly recommend this book to adults who like books of high intellect and social relevance. I do not recommend to children and teens because it has erotic and violent scenes.
******
Mixed Blessings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The book, Mixed Blessings by J. M. Muse is a fiction set in contemporary USA. It is temporally divided into two parts of the present moment and two years later. It has many subplots but the two recurring themes in the book are religion and racial conflict. It is also a book which explores the innate hunger of mankind for power and dominance. The various ways the characters devise to strive for their sense of belonging is less important to them than their goals.
The author lays out the plot for us with the use of strong characters. Michael Kublai Khan, a black man is the head of The House of Jeremiah Temples. He is of the belief that one drop equals a whole. In order to bring his belief to life, he joins forces with an Asian religious leader, Reverend Hung, his ad pro fiancee and other experts. The goal is to create a “Babylon that is ruled by Black people in a shared vision with other people of color, without the yoke of the White man.” He ultimately uses a large percentage of people and resources from the church for his dream.
Pastor Dalton, the opposing force for Kublai Khan believes in the absolute domination of the White man. He considers mixed race children abominable. With a self-conviction of doing God’s work, he mobilizes soldiers to wipe out the new Babylon. This leads to the major contention in the book. There are other characters who exemplify how people of different and the same race deal with each other.Their actions are used to tell readers about the kind of chaos that could erupt when one is condemned racially or denied of a sense of belonging, sometimes resulting in death.
Something to be highly appreciated about the book is its bold and symbolic nature. Racism is not new to any part of the world, likewise religion which to some has become like shackles instead of salvation. The author with his storytelling has captured scenarios for us within pages. The symbolic part reigns when the author uses simple descriptions to tell us important things about characters. An instance is when Rachel Solberg is described as someone “with salt and pepper hair cut short to show her pride in maturity and the ability to tell the truth without doing harm.”
The book also invokes strong thoughts which is something I also appreciate. As a reader, I got confounded with questions: Is race a personal or collective thing? Why does it even exist? Is belonging to a race a choice or an imposition? Will racism ever end? Another thing I do like about the book is its great dialogue. It is natural and free-flowing with no unnecessary use of words.
What I disliked most about the book is the disharmony of its subplots. They are too far apart for me as a reader. It seemed to me that the author found it hard to shift focus from one subplot to another. One would read a portion for so long then had to be reminded of the existence of another later. There are only a handful of errors in the book which do not disturb the flow of reading.
I will rate the book 4 out of 4 stars, because of its powerful message and manner of delivery. I highly recommend this book to adults who like books of high intellect and social relevance. I do not recommend to children and teens because it has erotic and violent scenes.
******
Mixed Blessings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) by Barry Litherland
