Review by smolbird -- Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas

[smolbird]

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

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3 out of 4 stars

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Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is a story about love, conflicting beliefs, family, and forgiveness. The book centers around three women. Kalayla Leeroyce is a feisty and unruly 11-year-old bi-racial girl who wanders the streets of Cambridge as if it were her playground. Her mother, Maureen Leeroyce, is an attractive woman who had been disowned by her family for marrying a black man. Lena Barzetti is their 72-year-old neighbor who is haunted by her own struggles and regrets. Their lives are entangled as they are forced to work through their fears, secrets, and problems.

In the summer of 1999, Lena notices Kalayla carelessly wandering around the town. Seeing Kalayla reminded Lena of her late twin boys and her regrets as a mother, thus forming an attachment to the young girl. She later finds out that Kalayla and her mother, Maureen, recently moved into the apartment across from hers. We discover that Maureen is a young widow who works two jobs to support herself and Kalayla. Working two jobs meant that Maureen did not have time to keep an eye on Kalayla, allowing the girl to wander the city as she pleased. Reminded of her failure as a mother, Lena takes it upon herself to guide Kalayla on the right path and eventually develops a bond with Kalayla and Maureen.

There are many things to like about this novel. I loved that it revolves around the lives and experiences of three women from different generations. I really liked that issues such as racism, domestic abuse, and homophobia are tackled in this book. Additionally, the conclusion of the book is very satisfying.

Although I enjoyed this book, it felt a little flat to me. As a reader, I focus on the book’s characters more than the story itself. The way Kalayla was written made it seem like she was much older than she actually was. Her personality was also mostly limited to anger and aggression. There was also no deeper exploration of her identity as a bi-racial person. The only characters I liked were Lena and her best friend, Carlotta.

While I empathized with the characters and their struggles, I found that I did not really care for them. The characters felt precisely just that – characters in a book. I had difficulties imagining the characters as real people because the book tended to tell instead of show. We know they felt a certain way because we are told they felt that way. Nothing is left to the imagination. Although the characters’ struggles are heavy and very real, I found it challenging to connect with the characters themselves because of this.

For the reasons stated, I give Kalayla a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. If the rules allowed it, I would have given the book 2.5 stars instead. I did not find any errors. The book had profanities that I thought were unnecessary. I would recommend this book to readers who like the found family trope. However, I do not recommend it to readers who dislike books that have slow pacing. I would also like to put a trigger warning for abuse, rape, and violence.

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Kalayla
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[brenthore]

thank you for this detailed and well written review! i guess i still read this book even it has slow pacing.

[smolbird]

thank you for this detailed and well written review! i guess i still read this book even it has slow pacing.

Thank you for commenting! I hope you like this book.

[Saint Bruno]

I guess this is a slow-paced story that highlights human relationships and parental guidance. Thanks for the very insightful review.

[smolbird]

I guess this is a slow-paced story that highlights human relationships and parental guidance. Thanks for the very insightful review.

You couldn't have said it better. Thank you for dropping by!

[Rayah Raouf]

I remember seeing this book as BOTD and I got curious. Not the biggest fan of slow books as I get bored easily. Might have to re-think about reading this. Thank you!

[Mariana Figueira]

Yeah, the profanity is a little much. For some reason, I felt very connected to these characters and got really involved, it's a shame that didn't happen for you. Thanks for the honest review.

[smolbird]

I remember seeing this book as BOTD and I got curious. Not the biggest fan of slow books as I get bored easily. Might have to re-think about reading this. Thank you!

While it has a slow pace, it does steadily develop the plot, so I think it might still be a worthwhile read. Thank you for commenting!

[smolbird]

Yeah, the profanity is a little much. For some reason, I felt very connected to these characters and got really involved, it's a shame that didn't happen for you. Thanks for the honest review.

It really is a pity that I couldn't connect to the characters since I'm the type to get easily attached. Thank you for commenting.

[Victor Jerry I]

I'm currently reading this book and I'm enjoying it. I really can't wait to finish reading it and put up a wonderful review as yours.

[zainherb]

I fully agree with your review. I enjoyed the book as well. I did not care for the portrayal of Kalayla though. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that an eleven-year-old can have such an atitude- the foul mouth, the chip on her shoulder, etc. So unbelievable and unnecessary.

Great review. Well done!

[Nicholus Schroeder]

Really great review and I also like how well detailed your summary of the plot was
Thanks for an amazing review

[smolbird]

I'm currently reading this book and I'm enjoying it. I really can't wait to finish reading it and put up a wonderful review as yours.

I'm glad to know that you're enjoying it as well, and thank you for that wonderful compliment. I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts on this book in your review! Thank you for the comment.

[smolbird]

I fully agree with your review. I enjoyed the book as well. I did not care for the portrayal of Kalayla though. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that an eleven-year-old can have such an atitude- the foul mouth, the chip on her shoulder, etc. So unbelievable and unnecessary.

Great review. Well done!

I agree! I really disliked Kalayla's character because her attitude didn't fit her age. I know it's possible for some 11-year-olds to be like that, but she also seemed to have the mentality of someone much older. The profanity and aggressiveness also came off as unnecessary and forced. Thank you for stopping by! I enjoyed reading your comment.

[smolbird]

Really great review and I also like how well detailed your summary of the plot was
Thanks for an amazing review

I actually did struggle a little with the summarization because there was so much to say, so I'm glad to hear that. Thank you for the comment!