Review of Kalayla

[Simdro]

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

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

How am I going to survive with a an eleven years old mischievous girl? Can people accept the fact that my baby is biracial? Why is mama always sad? Where is my son ? these are the questions that the three protagonists are trying to answer in this book. Maureen a thirty years old widow was trying to provide living necessities to Kalayla her daughter while juggling two jobs, all while Kalayla, a loner and troublemaker, is trying to make sense of this world. On the other hand, Lena their seventy-two years old neighbor, is having trouble coping with the lost of her sons.

The book follows the story of three females, the owner of a building Lena who is living alone in her apartment, as well as Maureen and kalaya who have just moved to the neighborhood living across from Lena. The author take us in a rollercoaster of events in which our protagonists relive their past to learn from their mistakes for them to have a better present and future.

I liked the story a lot. It was a surprise to learn that this book Kalayla was the first work of Jeannie Nicholas. It mentioned important subjects such as racism, sexuality, physical and verbal abuse, and gender equality from different perspectives and generations. The author cleverly touched on the aforementioned concepts in the simplest forms which helped us form a connection with the characters and sympathize with them. In this age the media is a in mayhem concerning women's rights where men are generally neglected so I applaud her for turning our attention to the abuse black boys suffer from as well as the psychological consequences related to it. Lastly, my favorite aspect about this story is how the author brought forward a reality that is forgotten, family does not require blood ties. Friends, teachers , neighbors, and community members have a great influence on our life and future.

I recommend this story for young adults, especially those wanting to specialize in educational psychology. It has a lot of tips and tricks that trigger a positive outcome in an adolescent's life. it is also for mature audience because it gives hope for tormented souls to deal with their demons from the past. it is never too late to strive for better relationships.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, it is a whole package. I could not find any errors, it was well edited. The characters were written perfectly for the events in the story. I enjoyed the plot twists and minute details gave it a perfect mark.

******
Kalayla
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon