3 out of 4 stars
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I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.
Second Chances by Lincoln Cole is a fictional heart-felt look into the inner-city world through the eyes of two very different sets of characters. Lakeisha and Nichole Blake, a mother and daughter respectively, live the consequences centuries of American racism has created. Lakeisha is fighting for a better future for her four children, despite the immense barriers she faces. Nichole, a brilliant teen, wants nothing more than to earn a law degree despite the poor high school education she received. The complex issues she faces though will make this harder than it should be. Meanwhile Richard Greenwood, a well paid corporate lawyer, seems to have forgotten the struggles the world faces, especially those just beyond his front door. After spending an evening with his estranged brother, he learns the importance of giving to the impoverished communities and fixing his own biases. Both characters learn the problems facing the inner city and minorities in drastically different ways, while also seeing how hope and partnership can help raise all of us up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author not only acknowledges the problems facing both the impoverished class and people of color, but writes advice to those who wish to help into the narrative; all while telling a beautiful story. Though the issues facing these groups are complex and could never be addressed in twenty books, the author does a good job touching on important -often overlooked- issues and presents a complete picture.
There are, however, a few issues that need to be addressed. The sentence structure in the first few chapters is lacking in areas, making the author’s ideas unfocused. There are also spelling and grammar errors throughout the text. These are not so often that they make the book unreadable, rather just often enough that they bring down the overall quality of the book. Furthermore a few of the characters in Richard’s chapters, including Richard, where rather whiney and it was not clear if this was intentional or not. This made me as the reader less sympathetic to them and more annoyed by them.
Despite these things, the book was a good read. The character’s plots were believable and the world well-explained. Nichole’s reactions were well thought-out and Richard’s micro-aggressions proved a great view point and plot line. The entire book felt complete and answered all questions. This novel received a 3 out of 4 because of the previously stated grammar mistakes as well as a few weak sections. Likewise, the story felt rushed at times. However, I do believe many people would find joy in the book and I recommend it.
Second Chances, despite being fiction, addresses some of the challenges of our time. It reviles the subtler forms of racism and classism some do not realize are a part of many American’s daily lives. While not an entirely sophisticated text, it is a pleasant way to spend one’s time.
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Second Chances
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-- 11 Jan 2016, 00:14 --
Thank you for reading!
