Customer Reviews

Discretion

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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What is the price of passion? According to Oufoula, discretion is the better part of valor. Oufoula is an African man representing his country as an diplomat. Oufoula is married to Nerida, the daughter of the President of his homeland. Through his extensive travels, Oufoula meets and greets like-minded people; people interested in securing necessities for their homelands. One evening the name Marguerite is mentioned and Oufoula is mesmerized. He has dreamt about a woman named Margarete; the woman that Goethe's Faust sold his soul to the devil for. When dreaming of Margarete, Oufoula is actually despising a past love by the name of Mulenga. Oufoula is bound and determined not to let the love of someone destroy him as it did his mother. To replace passion, he has his work for his country to contend with. After meeting "the" Marguerite, Oufoula's life changes and love enters. Can a man actually love two women for two totally different reasons at the same time?

Elizabeth Nunez has weaved an intricate tale of passion coupled with forbidden love at the expense of it all. While the prose may appear typical, Discretion offers a look into the mind and history of man who has lost and gained much throughout his life. Nunez takes the reader on a journey through Africa and New York City, setting in place the necessary landscape to embrace this story. Many references are made of other literary works, which offer an insight into the minds of Oufoula and Marguerite. Her characterizations are developed, symbolic and heartfelt!

I really enjoyed this book, it is written in a way that relaxes the eyes. It makes for rich reading, a joy to take in and ponder, a story full of human drama.

The characters are real, and we can identify with them easily. It is astounding how Ms. Nunez can paint so deeply the world of a male, telling the tale from Oufoula's point of view. He is a flawed man, and the reader has many questions about him. Also, the tragic figure of Marguerite. Her story is real. Her turmoil is tangible, and I can sympathize with her. I would have liked to hear more about Nerida, the wife of Oufoula, and of her world a little more. She comes off as a little more hollow than the other two. The premise of the book--passion v. love--is weak because of the lack of impact from Nerida. There is a little imbalance. As a result, the plight of Oufoula tilts toward Marguerite. Does he love his wife or merely tolerate her? She hardly says a word.

The plot is simple, there is not a lot of action...no scenes from the floor of the UN, where Oufoula delivers impassioned speeches. All that is fine. His account of his work suffices. We can see how his past brought about his present situaton. I liked the passages about his experiences in Africa.

The dialogue is well-done, and specifically that which occurs between the man and his lover. It defines who they are, each one alone, and their intimate relationship together. It serves to show the many holes in Oufoula's life, but I don't think this is a "all men are dogs" typical grrrrl book.

I like the references to "Faust" and "Things Fall Apart", both of which I read. The passion between the two lovers recalled for me the passion between Robert and Francesca in "The Bridges of Madison County". Still, I wished Marguerite maintained a sharp edge over the years to challenge Oufoula to honesty.

I recommend this book highly.

i found it to be so astonishing that Ms. Nunez had such a concentrated look into the consciousness of a cheating man. I was amazed by the laguage that was used, so poetic and so beautiful. I hosted a book club where we met Ms. Nunez, and she talked about how Oufoula's practices were justified by his upbringing. I was, strangely enough as a guy, the only one to disagree with what he felt. Then again, all his beliefs were accepted because of his wife, and not what he wanted. So, my disgreement was probably not fully warranted. Oufoula's justification of this on page 256 had me rolling. i was touched and entertained by this novel.

Elizabeth Nunez is and underrated writer. She is a master at what she does. It is amazing in the novel how she writes from a male point of view and it is entirely belivable. This is a great story, heartfelt and emotional. I would highly recommend this book.

At first it seemed so implausible, Oufoula's strong desire for a woman he had not met or spoken with, a woman he desired merely because she shared the name of a fantasy woman (another woman he did not know, except for her character in a novel) This implausibility initially blocked me from hearing his story. But once I allowed myself to go beyond the incredibleness of his story, I was able to hear, and letting go allowed me to experience the surprises when they came. And surprised I was. I won't spoil anything for the reader; I'll just say that the unexpected dropped out of nowhere...and that's a good thing.
I liked the story, but I don't know that I liked either of the characters. It was hard for me to believe that Oufoula had the connection with Marguerite he claimed to have; his feelings seemed to be a facade, as though it wasn't she he was really in love with, but some idea (of her? of Margarete? I don't know). His answers to her questions often appeared to be based on her reaction to his answers. He, ultimately, was the diplomat, even in his "professed" love of her. Diplomatic rather than truthful, even to himself.

What a well crafted book, Elizabeth did a great job narrating the story in Oufula's voice. She was Inside his head and his heart the whole way through. We had many discussions at our meeting about his upbringing, his choices from his cultural practices,from religion to mulitiple marriages.You could feel his choices, his honor to always do the right thing, and his love for both his wife and his true love. This was a touching story that pulls the heart strings, I like that they shared a love so long, A true test of time. I also liked the strength his wife and lover had. It didn't end like I thought it would. The only thing we thought was wrong, was when he hung her picture over the bed he shared with his wife. Love or no love, we all agree we would have killed him. A well crafted story. ...still pulling at my heart strings.

I must say that although I stumbled upon this book, I was glad for the fall. Nunez has created a book for those who really recognize the art of good storytelling and those who recognize a good writer when they see one. Discretion-lush just as Terry McMillan put it best. The language was dense and fruitful, I really felt like I was walking through a Jamaican or even African landscape for that matter. At times it was also poetic. Also, I was glad that Nunez wasn't didactic. She really let the characters speak and by doing so the reader is able to make their own opinions on colonization, African v. American relations, infidelity, adultery, religion (Christianity or animist). Very few writers can actually present so many issues without being didactic thusly being fair thusly being a good writer. The conclusion works well, she leaves us hanging on in a way that I think satisifies the reader, but honestly, Nunez has got to know that O will end up leaving his wife. I just believe that because it was more love and more passion with his mistress, or at least that what it feels like Nunez leads too (and wonderfully so without leaving the reader thinking that O doesn't love his wife.) Lastly, girl has really done it, by getting all into a man's head and still without being didactic. Peace and Blessings Nunez

Nunez painted a wonderfully written yet complex portrait of a man torn between two lovers. The tale was not reduced to being contrite, sleazy, or grimy. Most importantly, she was able to capture the feelings, thoughts and emotions of the main character Oufula. She was able to understand the mindset of someone who finds themself in the predicament that Oufula was in. Nunez did all this without bashing men or coming across as a scorned female. I love this book! I couldn't put it down.