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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Debut!, May 3, 2011
This review is from: Powder Necklace: A Novel (Wsp Readers Club) (Paperback)
Powder Necklace is a debut novel from Ekua Brew-Hammond with a Bildungsroman-ish vibe featuring Lila, a quiet and shy teen living with her divorced, immigrant mother in modern London. Although she is a good student, she is somewhat of an outsider, a bit withdrawn and largely friendless. Her life is turned upside down when her mother misinterprets an innocent encounter as a carnal act of disobedience. Her mother seemingly overreacts by shipping Lila unaccompanied to Ghana the next day.
Lila has a keen eye and it is in these first-person passages where the author excels in the depiction of her experiences with Ghanaian society and tradition. The imagery and voices allowed this American reader to experience culture shock along with Lila during the airport arrival, her aunt's lodgings and hospitality, the boarding school ordeal and all events in between. Within six months, the ever-observant Lila adapts to the ingrained "quid-pro-quo" lifestyle, survives the scarcity of water, endures the torment of enemies, and learns the value of friendship. As quickly as she was dispatched to Africa, her mother then suddenly recalls her to London and upon rebelling there in the worst ways, she is again abruptly whisked away to live with her distant "thrice-a-year phone-calling" father and his family in New York City. At this point, the direction of the novel veers unexpectedly toward evangelical themes when a travel-weary Lila struggles to make sense of her parents' actions, their relationships, the effects their decisions have on her life, and the age-old "why me" question.
At its core, the novel explores issues of identity, dislocation, and belonging as Lila is thrust into differing and difficult situations in the UK (London), Ghana and the USA (New York City). It is in these places and from deep within her heart that she must find her own voice and the inner strength to survive often without the shelter, guidance, and protection of her dysfunctional family. A side note: This novel should probably be marketed or labeled as Young Adult because there were too many unanswered questions, underdeveloped adult characters, and a neatly wrapped ending (which also felt a bit forced and abrupt); however, even from an adult viewpoint, it was still an enlightening and educational story - the boarding school experiences are truly unforgettable. Recommended for all with an interest in cross-cultural experiences featuring a female, coming-of-age, teen protagonist.
Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO Literary Book Reviews
April 29, 2010
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Read!!!!!!, May 9, 2010
This review is from: Powder Necklace: A Novel (Wsp Readers Club) (Paperback)
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"Everything happens for God's good reason is the cliche my mother has drilled in my head since I was old enough to ask "Why?". This is the first sentence of the novel Powder Necklace and starts the reader off into Lila's world of inconsistency based on her parents, in particular her mother's decisions.
Lila is a London teenager living with her mom. Her parents have been divorced since she was young. Lila's father lives in New York with a new wife and their twin son and daughter. Ghana is the country of origin for Lila's parents. One day Lila's mother finds her in the living room watching television with a boy when no one is supposed to be in the house. Lila's mother sends her to Ghana. Lila's Aunt Irene is able to get her into Dadaba Girls' Secondary School. Lila then goes back from Ghana to London with her mother, then from London to New York with her father, with return trips to London and Ghana.
The title of Powder Necklace comes from Lila's time in Ghana. A powder necklace meant you had bathed - your mother or father had sent you water - but there were girls who had no water that still wore powder necklaces. My interpretation of the girls wearing powder necklaces was that regardless of where you stand in terms of class and money, you can still have pride in yourself and hold your head high no matter what the circumstance.
There are so many things that happen in this coming of age story that you'll have to read it yourself to get the full impact. The author has managed to deal with so many issues in one novel - culture, class, divorce, fate, introspection - in a way that will make you laugh, be sad, or make you reminisce if you're past the teenage years. There's a great reading guide for groups as well as a Q & A with the author at the end. I highly recommend you read this novel, it's one you will think about long after you finish.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm biased because I wrote Powder Necklace. but..., May 1, 2010
This review is from: Powder Necklace: A Novel (Wsp Readers Club) (Paperback)
I'll tell you why I love Powder Necklace: A Novel (Wsp Readers Club):
*It tells the story of a heroine I'm so proud of -- a sharp, honest young girl making the turbulent journey of adolescence across three continents
*It offers a new perspective on important issues that need fresh examination including:
o the superiority complex Westerners have regarding the so-called
"Third World"
o the effect of single parenthood on girl children in particular
o what it means to grow up American/British/etc when your parents
are trying to raise you as a good African/Jamaican/Trinidadian/etc
*It was written over 6 years of immense professional & spiritual change in my life
*It's my first novel -- my baby!
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