Review of Kalayla: Unraveling Tangles
9 posts
[Following is a volunteer review of "Kalayla: Unraveling Tangles" by Jeannie Nicholas.]
Kalayla doesn’t have it easy. It’s the final years of the 20th century, and she lives in an apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her mother, Maureen; her father died in a racing car accident. Maureen is White, and Kalayla’s father, Jamal, was Black, making her bi-racial. At times, she doesn’t understand where she fits in. She’s angry at the world, and doesn’t always know why. She befriends the old lady who lives in the apartment opposite her. Lena Manero Barzetti is in her 70s and still wears black every day as she can’t get over the fact that her twin boys fought in Vietnam and never returned. As their lives intertwine, can Kalayla, Maureen, and Lena get the support they need from each other to move on? Read Kalayla: Unraveling Tangles by Jeannie Nicholas to find out.
Kalayla is a fascinating character; she’s wise beyond her years. With all that she’s endured, it’s a surprise that she’s not more damaged than she is. Her growth throughout the book and the impact she had on those around her were the highlights of the story for me.
I love first-person narratives when they’re written well. Jeannie Nicholas is a superstar here. She tells the story from three people’s points of view, often of the same scene. This captivated me and is one of the many reasons this is an easy 5 out of 5 stars book for me.
The cast of supporting characters, Lotta, Rico, Mattwo, Clarence, Kieran, and Mr O., all provide additional relevance to the narrative. The inclusion of world events like the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in NYC helps ground the story into potential reality.
What got my blood boiling was that even though the book is only set 30 years ago, the underlying racism theme is still prevalent today in many parts of the US. As part of a minority group, I personally felt every negative aspect of this topic when it appeared in the story. I commend Jeannie Nicholas for being prepared to tell it like it really is.
It’s difficult to put a genre on this book, as it could be a drama, a family saga, or a coming-of-age story. In the end, I’m classifying Kalayla: Unraveling Tangles as literary fiction as it combines a character-driven narrative with loads of introspection.
There’s absolutely nothing for me to fault about this book; in fact, it’s my favorite book so far this year. There’s some swearing—what you’d expect of a teenager—and references to violence, rape, and shootings. As such, the book is probably more suited for young adults and up. I highly recommend it to lovers of literary fiction with strong female protagonists.
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Kalayla: Unraveling Tangles
View: on Bookshelves |
Kalayla doesn’t have it easy. It’s the final years of the 20th century, and she lives in an apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her mother, Maureen; her father died in a racing car accident. Maureen is White, and Kalayla’s father, Jamal, was Black, making her bi-racial. At times, she doesn’t understand where she fits in. She’s angry at the world, and doesn’t always know why. She befriends the old lady who lives in the apartment opposite her. Lena Manero Barzetti is in her 70s and still wears black every day as she can’t get over the fact that her twin boys fought in Vietnam and never returned. As their lives intertwine, can Kalayla, Maureen, and Lena get the support they need from each other to move on? Read Kalayla: Unraveling Tangles by Jeannie Nicholas to find out.
Kalayla is a fascinating character; she’s wise beyond her years. With all that she’s endured, it’s a surprise that she’s not more damaged than she is. Her growth throughout the book and the impact she had on those around her were the highlights of the story for me.
I love first-person narratives when they’re written well. Jeannie Nicholas is a superstar here. She tells the story from three people’s points of view, often of the same scene. This captivated me and is one of the many reasons this is an easy 5 out of 5 stars book for me.
The cast of supporting characters, Lotta, Rico, Mattwo, Clarence, Kieran, and Mr O., all provide additional relevance to the narrative. The inclusion of world events like the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in NYC helps ground the story into potential reality.
What got my blood boiling was that even though the book is only set 30 years ago, the underlying racism theme is still prevalent today in many parts of the US. As part of a minority group, I personally felt every negative aspect of this topic when it appeared in the story. I commend Jeannie Nicholas for being prepared to tell it like it really is.
It’s difficult to put a genre on this book, as it could be a drama, a family saga, or a coming-of-age story. In the end, I’m classifying Kalayla: Unraveling Tangles as literary fiction as it combines a character-driven narrative with loads of introspection.
There’s absolutely nothing for me to fault about this book; in fact, it’s my favorite book so far this year. There’s some swearing—what you’d expect of a teenager—and references to violence, rape, and shootings. As such, the book is probably more suited for young adults and up. I highly recommend it to lovers of literary fiction with strong female protagonists.
******
Kalayla: Unraveling Tangles
View: on Bookshelves |
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