"The reality that she was looking at the child of the man she had loved, honored and trust in marriage for 11 years, was a pill too big to swallow."
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Nola's Island by A.D. King Trafford Publishing
book review by Wendy Strain
The premise of Nola's Island is that many of the women of America have become tired of their status as second-class citizens, always in some sort of thrall to the wants, needs, and desires of the men they encounter. To teach the men a lesson, the women retreat to a large island owned by a popular TV talk show host. With so many women leaving, those who remain behind face increasing threat of victimization. Will the women's withdrawal be enough to stop the carnage?
Written in non-standard urban English, the story bounces around significantly between multiple perspectives with little apparent reason. It is up to the reader to keep track of the multiple personalities and their connections to one another. The author struggles with the language of upper class congressmen, but does an effective job with the street jargon of most of his characters. The story would be improved with some editing and a bit more active narrative. There is some significant violence contained within the pages as well, which may be disturbing to some readers.
What the story offers is insight into some of the realities of life in more crowded urban centers. These areas are not often featured in novels despite the numbers of people who experience them and are often misunderstood. It also investigates the current status of women in today's society. With all of the claims of women's liberation and independence, have things really changed? Where does humanity go from here?