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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Could Have Been Better, June 13, 2005
This review is from: There Was a Spirit (Paperback)
There Was A Spirit By Kimberly Noelle 349pp (2004)
There Was A Spirit is set in 1973 and tells the story of Najwa Jackson, a
college senior at the fictional Casperton University located in Casperton,
Ill.
I like historical fiction and was interested in reading about college life
in 1973. Except for a few references to Angela Davis, Patti Hearst and
turntables the book really did not deal with what was going on in 1973 and
instead focused on Najwa's trials and tribulations as the leader of her
sorority. Her problems leading the sorority to me were not reflective of
the time period and the book could have easily been set in the 80's or
90's.
The book discussed the community service of the sorority, but overall, had
the effect of playing into the negative stereotypes about Greek life
instead of debunking the stereotypes. The only time the sisterhood became
the least bit concerned about what was happening on campus was when a plan
they hatched up negatively raised their profile on campus and they engaged
in damage control by speaking out about injustices at the school.
There was a touching story about the founder of the sorority but I did not
think it was successfully woven into the plot. The sacrifices of the
founder only served to make the activities of the sorority seem even more
trivial.
The book did a good job capturing Najwa's uncertainty about her future and
about role as a leader on campus. To that end it may be enjoyed more by
high school or college students. However, the author did not do enough with
the story line to make a non-Greek adult like me care about Najwa or her
sorority.
2 stars
reviewed by
misrich
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Reality of Sisterhood, August 3, 2005
This review is from: There Was a Spirit (Paperback)
THERE WAS A SPIRIT is a poignant portrayal of college life during the early 1970's. It focuses on the unique experiences of African-Americans attending a primarily white university during a period of political and racial upheaval. The story begins in the early part of the century when racial dynamics were even more intense and even life threatening. Readers are introduced to Sadie Mae, one of the founding members of Omega Pi Alpha Sorority. Her story is an attention grabber, and it immediately draws you into the book. However, to discover Sadie's full story, readers must first move ahead several decades and meet Najwa Jackson, the main character.
Najwa Jackson is attending Casperton University, and is a proud member of Omega Pi Alpha Sorority. She has big plans for her senior year of college, particularly as it relates to the sorority because she has been elected chapter president. While on the surface she seems to have everything together, she deals with insecurity, loneliness and uncertainty about her future. As the story progresses, we meet her friends, family and associates, get a taste of Black Greek life, and a glimpse of political issues such as abortion and racism. Najwa's penchant for history her desire to learn more about Sadie's life and role as co-founder of the sorority, result in the discovery of a much more complete view of Sadie's life. What she unearths rocks the university to its very core.
Kimberly Noelle has ambitiously taken a coming of age story and integrated past and present events while addressing relevant social and cultural issues. Because there were so many layers to the story, there were times when I found myself wondering how it would all fit together. The author immediately piqued my interest in Sadie's story, but then shifts and focuses on Najwa. Sadie's story was sparsely dispersed throughout the book and while it was eventually resolved, I found myself getting frustrated. In addition, there were times when I felt the scenes depicting college and sorority life were tedious, at times adding length, but not much else. However, I am glad I stuck with the book because, in the end, the story was heartfelt and satisfying. (RAW Rating: 3.5)
Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The spirit of one, inspires thousands, July 7, 2005
This review is from: There Was a Spirit (Paperback)
In 1901, Sadie Mae Wesley experiences the happiest yet most painful day of her life. She is given the most treasured gift from her father, the deed to five acres of farmland in Casperton, Illinois. As she walks home from work, she dreams of how to keep the promise to develop the land. While enjoying her newfound wealth, she is viciously attacked by a white man and left for dead. Night stretches into morning before Sadie's friends find her teetering on the edge of consciousness. Before Sadie dies, she whispers a request for Anna to fulfill. It is with that promise Omega Pi Alpha Sorority is born.
The story fast-forwards to 1973 at Casperton University; Najwa Jackson is the president of the Gamma Chapter of Omega Pi Alpha. During her senior year, she pledges to move the sorority to the forefront on campus. As the semester begins, Najwa along with her line sisters, Carla and Lynette, navigate the Greek life political landscape forging Gamma Chapter forward. Things begin to unravel as Keisha, commits the ultimate crime against another chapter member. In Najwa's attempt to save face for the chapter, she plots with the help of Carla and Lynette, to have Keisha expelled from school.
As the second semester commences, Najwa finds the chapter at a turning point and decides to take up the cause to have Keisha's name cleared. In doing so, Najwa points to the fact that Black students are always given harsher punishments than White students. The plot thickens as she discovers the details surrounding the death of the sorority's founder. As the puzzle pieces start to connect, Casperton's darkest secret may be revealed. Has Najwa started the Black Pride movement, which may revolutionize the campus and the town?
THERE WAS A SPIRIT accurately depicts sorority life and what could have happened at a predominately white campus. The characters are authentic and story line is original. THERE WAS A SPIRIT was truly a page-turner giving a realistic view inside the inner workings of Greek life at the undergraduate level. A must read for those who enjoy historical fiction. Hopefully, Noelle won't keep us waiting long for the next installment for Omega Pi Alpha and Casperton University.
Reviewed by M. Bruner for Loose Leaves Book Review
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