LAGOS – By Harry Awurumibe At last, a new book which will arouse the interest of the reading public especially lovers of African literature and students of English Language has hit the book stands.
The incisive, captivating and highly entertaining epic novel aptly titled “When The Dead Loves” is set in the typical Traditional Rural Village of the big West African country, Nigeria. It shifted to the urban city of Western Nigeria and later to the United States of America where the main character resides. The story brought the past to the present and makes for a pleasurable reading.
When The Dead Loves is a vibrant true life story presented in a lively style that arrests the concentration and excites the imagination of readers. Lovers of African Literature would find the book useful and interesting.
The book, “When The Dead Loves” could pass as a classic of modern African fiction. Again, lovers of African literature will find it captivating and educative. It is written in simple English language to make for easy reading by anybody who can read and write.
When The Dead Loves is also in the class of other epic novels published by other African writers whose works have won national and international literature awards. It is a product of hard work of the author.
Recounting how the love of a mother for her children even in death shaped the lives of the major characters in the book, Chidinma Dike and his sister, Nkechi is never an easy task. One event followed another in the lives of the children especially Chidinma whose string of successes have been attributed to his mother’s endless love.
Chidinma Dike cannot give a vivid description of his mother, Ekechi Igwe who died few days after his birth. He was brought up with coconut juice since breast milk died with his mother.
Faced with very difficult early life, Chidinma was convinced that Ekechi brought him and his only sister Nkechi to the world to suffer.
He could not agree with anybody that the untimely death of his beloved mother was unfortunately masterminded by his father, Anebo Dike through his uncaring attitude towards Ekechi and her children which was made worse by his second wife, Chinasa. It was not a surprise; therefore, that Chidinma and Nkechi were abandoned by their father and their step mother, Chinasa who denied them the love of parents.
However, a dramatic change took place in the life of Chidinma that he became like the proverbial mustard seed. Success was the key word that which was attributed to his dead mother’s love. He weathered the storm of life alongside his sister Nkechi to survive the Civil War after they were abandoned again by their biological father, Anebo Dike. One event followed another and the rest is a big story told in the epic novel.
Recounting how the love of a mother for her children even in death shaped the lives of the major characters in the book, Chidinma Dike and his sister, Nkechi is never an easy task. One event followed another in the lives of the children especially Chidinma whose string of successes have been attributed to his mother’s endless love.
