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booksgurrsandpurrs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
In 1965, Bernadette and Melvin, two Black American Civil Rights Activists, travel from Philadelphia to Alabama when an incident occurs that dramatically shifts the trajectory of their lives. Now on the run, posing as a pastor/pastor's wife, Bernadette and Melvin seek refuge in Ghana with the hope of political protection by president Kwame Nkrumah. Folklore is gently woven into the narrative to great effect, but also in a way that reveals too easily the ending of the book then may have been intended. Bazawule, (Ghanaian filmmaker and author), asks the reader to consider what and where is home, why people keep secrets, what is safety in a postcolonial existence, what is the price of revenge and so much more.
augur01's review against another edition
The constant jumps to the past while the present narrative was being laid out very incrementally was a bit too frustrating for me.
mugglebornofoz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kerickertful's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
lovelykd's review against another edition
2.0
****2.5 STARS****
It’s not that this wasn’t a good story. Despite its simple premise—a couple goes on the run after a close encounter ends tragically—it was interesting.
That said, there was too much going on; too many characters, too many incomplete backstories, and not nearly enough time to spent fleshing out each one.
For instance, Bernadette begins the story with a sense of purpose. However, after a devastating loss, she quickly becomes dependent on others to guide her; given her origins, you’d have thought her to be stronger than she turned out to be.
Then there’s the two male characters, Melvin and Kwesi.
Melvin wants to succeed where so many of the other men in his family did not; he’s saving up to buy his own car dealership when he meets Bernadette. Heather comes across as resolute and sure of himself.
So, the fact of him even allowing himself to get into the trouble he gets into is …nearly unbelievable.
I get it, things happen and people can change, but Melvin’s descent is rapid as hell. So fast that you’re left wondering if you weren’t misled about him in the first place.
Then there’s Kwesi …with his “magical guitar”.
I …listen, I don’t mind magical realism, but it seemed wholly out of place in this story.
I wish more time had been devoted to deepening the storylines of the characters—especially that of Bernadette and Melvin—because the weird love triangle that ensued? That could’ve not been included at all.
There was enough happening with Bernadette, Melvin, and the agent who was hot on their trail.
Adding in Kwesi, a shape-shifting army, Nkrumah, and the overthrow of the Ghanaian government was a lot.
Finally, that ending was …abrupt.
I was mildly annoyed because, for all of the investment into telling these stories, each of their conclusions was left as a cliffhanger.
Absolutely nothing was known—about the fates of any of these people—at the final turn of the page.
Why? What purpose did that serve?
*shrugs*
End of the day, it was a decent read, borderline good, but it would’ve been better had it not tried to do so much.
It’s not that this wasn’t a good story. Despite its simple premise—a couple goes on the run after a close encounter ends tragically—it was interesting.
That said, there was too much going on; too many characters, too many incomplete backstories, and not nearly enough time to spent fleshing out each one.
For instance, Bernadette begins the story with a sense of purpose. However, after a devastating loss, she quickly becomes dependent on others to guide her; given her origins, you’d have thought her to be stronger than she turned out to be.
Then there’s the two male characters, Melvin and Kwesi.
Melvin wants to succeed where so many of the other men in his family did not; he’s saving up to buy his own car dealership when he meets Bernadette. Heather comes across as resolute and sure of himself.
So, the fact of him even allowing himself to get into the trouble he gets into is …nearly unbelievable.
I get it, things happen and people can change, but Melvin’s descent is rapid as hell. So fast that you’re left wondering if you weren’t misled about him in the first place.
Then there’s Kwesi …with his “magical guitar”.
I …listen, I don’t mind magical realism, but it seemed wholly out of place in this story.
I wish more time had been devoted to deepening the storylines of the characters—especially that of Bernadette and Melvin—because the weird love triangle that ensued? That could’ve not been included at all.
There was enough happening with Bernadette, Melvin, and the agent who was hot on their trail.
Adding in Kwesi, a shape-shifting army, Nkrumah, and the overthrow of the Ghanaian government was a lot.
Finally, that ending was …abrupt.
I was mildly annoyed because, for all of the investment into telling these stories, each of their conclusions was left as a cliffhanger.
Absolutely nothing was known—about the fates of any of these people—at the final turn of the page.
Why? What purpose did that serve?
*shrugs*
End of the day, it was a decent read, borderline good, but it would’ve been better had it not tried to do so much.
sydtheflowerkid's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
bookishplantmom's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a good read. I enjoyed the character arcs and the story within a story writing style. I also loved the inclusion of magical realism throughout the book.
ehartfield's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5