By Beryl Burton
This first novel by L.A. Osakwe is set within the rich culture of ancient Africa at a time before any other cultures set foot on African soil.
It is a story which comes out of a rape. In my opinion the punishment meted out befits the crime much better than today’s form of punishment. I am sure most readers would agree with me. It is really the story of a young man’s search for a bride although he cannot afford the bride price. Finally he succeeds in not only getting a bride, but one of the most beautiful and desirable women of her village. He is suspicious and rightly so, for she comes with a devastating secret.
As another reader said “This is a haunting tale of love, betrayal and wisdom which is unforgettable”.
The story is devastatingly simply written yet it manages to explore universal themes such as the demands of traditions versus the dictates of conscience, how confrontation, counsel and punishment can all be means of bringing a person to greater self-knowledge and positive change; and how unselfishness, self-control and compassion are needed to undergird passion in a marriage.
An African Story: The Marriage, by L.A. Osakwe – available at bookshops and online or directly from Old King Cole Publishing Ltd, a new company started by two young mothers who felt there were no publishers willing to read new works much less publish them.