Review of Kalayla

[diana bolivar]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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If you find yourself looking for a nice book treat about family and societal issues, you must place Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas as part of your year's top bucket list. The story centers on the relatable characters of three female protagonists who all try to live life amidst haunting memories of the past. Narrated by the author in first-person, it's so easy to forget that you are getting touched by made-up characters! Well-developed personalities, indeed!

Here you can have a glimpse of serious themes that are worth thinking about. There's a mix of perspectives in all the different characters being together in the same place. And so every chapter becomes an interesting read as if you are almost on the similar agenda of these heroines.

From the book's title itself, the story revolves around a little girl named Kalayla. Being smart-mouthed and always on her own, I can't help but admire this young child's resilience towards adversity and of course the way she could definitely act at her age. Some people might find her amusing but surely, some would mind the way she behaves too, and empathize with her situation.

I loved how the author has given a well-rounded background for each of the main characters representing every chapter. There is definitely no space for boredom in the pages especially, that there are secrets that are suddenly unraveled even at the spur of the moment. Not to mention that the characters are like sharing their thoughts directly to your heart.

Any reader would find themselves in the middle of every character's sentiments, like having read the musings of Lena and Maureen. Two women who have crossed paths by living in the same hall. Maureen, Kalayla's mother would let you see how family dramas affect how far one can go for her daughter. While Lena can make you perceive how family struggles can emotionally limp someone for life.

In totality, I would recommend the story to a mature audience who are easily enthused by a lot of lifelike situations from main characters of different ages. A reader will get to delve into some sensitive topics which are surprisingly well-written by the writer. Themes such as domestic violence, racial issues, and discrimination can be skimmed along with the pages but that doesn't mean that it is poorly told or cliched.

With all the engaging captions in this one wonderful story, surely it deserves a 4 out of 4 stars. I also commend the novel's content that is very clear from grammar errors, professionally written I may say. Though there could be read some profanities, I think they are all fairly used in all conversations. And to think that our protagonists are experiencing sorts of ordeals, I find that the whole lot of the words being said are necessary to have a good understanding of what the characters really feel.

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Kalayla
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[Bradley Shelvie]

Kalayla was indeed an amazingly engaging read. Nice review!