Official Review: The Prodigal Daughter

[VinuW]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Prodigal Daughter" by Patricia Nmukoso Enyi.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Written by Patricia Nmukoso Enyi, The Prodigal Daughter is a novel that revolves around the life an elite teen who strives hard to achieve perfection. This is a story that illustrates how the consequences of our actions mould our future, while highlighting the importance of decision making.

Loyce Amaechi is a bright, dark-skinned beauty who is brought up in the lap of luxury. She looks forward to marriage and a family of her own, but as a member of a well-reputed family, she is expected to follow a set of rules: “She would have a custom-designed gown. She was expected to remain a virgin. The church would be a Catholic church. Then, most importantly, the right man would be not just Catholic, but a cradle Catholic, a child born to Catholic parents.” However, Loyce falls in love with a “bad boy” and her parents oppose her plan of marrying this non-Catholic, and her perfectly crafted world begins to fall apart. In her despair, Loyce decides to refrain from going to church, turning away from God and her beliefs. Life goes on for Loyce, and as the story progresses; the reader starts to wonder if Loyce would ever find her way back to God.

A large part of the novel is set in the 1980s, the age of electronic rhythms and loud makeup. Through the eyes of Loyce, the author offers generous explanations of the lifestyle in the 80s. Descriptions ranging from architecture to fashion and pop culture ensure that the reader has a good idea about the setting of the story. The author also includes detailed explanations about the practices and social values of both the Nigerian and American cultures Loyce is part of, making the novel an interesting read. Although the novel is set in a seemingly perfect world, it deals with serious issues like parental and peer pressure. The novel elucidates the repercussions of unrealistic expectations and harsh social values, providing the reader with useful knowledge and principles.

Although the setting and the plot are well thought out, the narrative voice does not appeal to me. A formal language is used, and although it’s not something I dislike, I feel that it made the conversations seem dull. The story is fast-paced, and time passes in a flurry, but the pace slows down when an important incident occurs. This difference in pace is glaringly obvious, and it makes the storyline seem jagged and forced. However, towards the end of the novel the author seems to have found a comfortable pace, and this drastically improved the narration. The narration lacked uniformity, and this is why I decided to rate this novel 3 out of 4 stars.

I’d recommend this book to young adults and new adults who enjoy reading books set in a different time than ours. Since the plot relies heavily on Catholicism and religious principles, I would not recommend this book to a reader who does not enjoy books with religious themes.

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The Prodigal Daughter
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[kimmyschemy06]

Sounds like a very interesting book. I grew up during the 80s so I think I'm going to enjoy this book. Too bad about the pacing, though. Good job on the review.

[Annelore Trujillo]

The storyline sounds really interesting and like something I would really enjoy. I think I could look past the pacing problems with this one. Thank you for the great review!