Review by Koyna -- Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
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Review by Koyna -- Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
[Following is a volunteer review of "Kalayla" by Jeannie Nicholas.]
Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is a very touching book. It is about three lonely people who find company in each other in the most unusual way. Maureen is a young white woman. Her family disowns her when she marries a black man. After a few years, her husband dies in a car crash, and now she is all alone with her ten-year-old daughter, Kalayla. They move into a flat next to a seventy-two-year-old lady, Lena. In effect, Lena has no family. Her husband and her twins died, and she doesn’t bond well with her other two sons. After Maureen and Kalayla shift next door, Kayala draws her attention. Kalayla’s attitude worries her. She has no friends and wanders about the street, talking to strangers. Lena knows Maureen is busy most of the day and does not pay much attention to Kalayla. But she cannot bear to see the child ruin her life, so she comes to help her. With her intervention, Kalayla finds the right path. In Lena, Maureen finds someone she can confide in. Lena does not realize it, but in the process, she too turns over a new leaf.
I like the story in its entirety. It is emotionally touching. If I have to choose one element, it will be the transition in Lena’s life. Lena was in an abusive marital relationship. Due to her husband’s strong influence on their sons, she could not instill in them the values that she considered important. In the process, they were not close to her. So much so she didn’t even know where one of them lived. In a way, she failed as a mother. But when Kalayla came into the picture, one could see her maternal instincts kick in. She was a mother to Kalayla. A mother she only wished she could be to her sons. And as the story proceeds, one can see that she has moved on from her past. Instead of wearing only black, she gradually starts including some color in her clothing. The change in her attire hints that she is positive about the future. She is done grieving about her past and is willing to give life a second chance!
Though the story is beautifully weaved, I felt the author left one loose thread. I didn't like the crossroad at which Maureen and Kalayla’s relationship is left. Maureen and Kalayla did not share the best of the mother-daughter relation. It is obvious Kalayla resented her mother for not looking after her as a child. I would have liked to see their relationship improve. Either Kalayla became more sensitive towards her mother’s situation, or Maureen became a stronger person.
I will rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. This is a unique story. Some parts touched a chord in me. It highlighted issues of racism, marital abuse, and struggle. But everything came together in the end, and readers are left satisfied. Though, I would have liked to see Maureen and Kalayla’s sharing a happier bond in the end. The book contains borderline profanity and contains sexual scenes. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys family dramas, especially women.
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Kalayla
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is a very touching book. It is about three lonely people who find company in each other in the most unusual way. Maureen is a young white woman. Her family disowns her when she marries a black man. After a few years, her husband dies in a car crash, and now she is all alone with her ten-year-old daughter, Kalayla. They move into a flat next to a seventy-two-year-old lady, Lena. In effect, Lena has no family. Her husband and her twins died, and she doesn’t bond well with her other two sons. After Maureen and Kalayla shift next door, Kayala draws her attention. Kalayla’s attitude worries her. She has no friends and wanders about the street, talking to strangers. Lena knows Maureen is busy most of the day and does not pay much attention to Kalayla. But she cannot bear to see the child ruin her life, so she comes to help her. With her intervention, Kalayla finds the right path. In Lena, Maureen finds someone she can confide in. Lena does not realize it, but in the process, she too turns over a new leaf.
I like the story in its entirety. It is emotionally touching. If I have to choose one element, it will be the transition in Lena’s life. Lena was in an abusive marital relationship. Due to her husband’s strong influence on their sons, she could not instill in them the values that she considered important. In the process, they were not close to her. So much so she didn’t even know where one of them lived. In a way, she failed as a mother. But when Kalayla came into the picture, one could see her maternal instincts kick in. She was a mother to Kalayla. A mother she only wished she could be to her sons. And as the story proceeds, one can see that she has moved on from her past. Instead of wearing only black, she gradually starts including some color in her clothing. The change in her attire hints that she is positive about the future. She is done grieving about her past and is willing to give life a second chance!
Though the story is beautifully weaved, I felt the author left one loose thread. I didn't like the crossroad at which Maureen and Kalayla’s relationship is left. Maureen and Kalayla did not share the best of the mother-daughter relation. It is obvious Kalayla resented her mother for not looking after her as a child. I would have liked to see their relationship improve. Either Kalayla became more sensitive towards her mother’s situation, or Maureen became a stronger person.
I will rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. This is a unique story. Some parts touched a chord in me. It highlighted issues of racism, marital abuse, and struggle. But everything came together in the end, and readers are left satisfied. Though, I would have liked to see Maureen and Kalayla’s sharing a happier bond in the end. The book contains borderline profanity and contains sexual scenes. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys family dramas, especially women.
******
Kalayla
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
