4 out of 4 stars
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How unfortunate can one person be? Mark Connelly’s satirical work, Wanna-Be's, introduces you to a man’s roller coaster ride in a life full of hope, despair, love, and frustration.
After her new girlfriend’s insisting, Winfield Payton decides to leave the apartment complex and get a condo unit. Unfortunately, being a failed screenwriter and a university professor does not pay enough for a down payment. His friend offers him a job to be a consultant in an S&L company. As the only white employee in the company, he poses as the negotiator for anxious investors and even charms a plutocrat to keep the firm from a financial collapse. Win walks on thin ice. One mistake could lead to a disaster.
Connelly wrote a humorous story. There were scenes which made me laugh my head off. What made it more interesting were the characters he created. Winfield was a funny guy. His side comments were witty. His troubles piled up as the story progressed. His trials were also realistic which would make anyone feel sorry for him. Nevertheless, whatever misfortune he was in, his actions and responses made it easy to forget just how luckless he was. The story was open-ended and somehow, it made me hope that Winfield can find the happiness he deserved. He was a great man after all. Another remarkable character was Alderman Moses. He was the perfect example of an influential man who uses his power to his benefit. He used underhanded methods to gain the sympathy of the masses and turned the tables against his enemies.
Additionally, the story had a unique plot. It touched a lot of societal concerns. Some of these are the animosity between the blacks and white people, men's perception of women (especially black women) in a workplace, and the double standards of today’s society. While it was exaggerated like most satirical works, I could not help but admire the author for combining these issues and still achieve a smooth and clear flow of the story.
However, there were a few parts of the book that was a bit slow for my taste. One example was when Dr. Veraswami met the S&L team for the first time. He talked for a long time that I had to stop reading a few times before finishing his entire speech. It felt like the restaurant scene was purposely dragged.
In spite of that minor detail, I totally loved the book! Thus, I give Wanna-Be’s 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to anyone who wants to laugh and cry at the same time.
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Wanna-be's
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