***** Lessons Learned Review by Rox Burkey
Author Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko gives the reader a fascinating collection of short stories that highlight her commitment to faith. She elegantly includes race, religion, empowerment, and nationality in each of the tales. The experience and lessons are uplifting.
In the first story, Helen accepts a ride from a man she believes attends her church. The terrifying ordeal Helen experiences delivers a convincing
The family dynamics in the second story highlights a practice that occurs across races and communities. It is incredibly sad that the choices caused these results.
“One day, I came home from school, and from afar, I heard her singing. I hid to listen. I wanted to see whether the words of her song might help me understand her.
My world! Bad Fate! My father grabbed me and threw me away My mother told me, go and don’t look back. Go where, mother, and with whom? Go, my child, it is our fate That’s how I went on a marriage journey I am on a marriage journey.”
Florence, the third story, has details that paint a vivid picture of lies and betrayal. This one, along with all the others, speaks of strong women who rise to any challenge. The life experiences shared within each of these stories are plausible as they highlight inequities, betrayals, mistrust, and strength of character.
These stories provide great insights into various cultures, lessons on ways to navigate life as a strong woman, and messages to ponder as well as reflect on. I liked the style of writing and found myself wondering how many of these stories are reality-based—a good read.
About the Author
Joy Nwosu was born in Enugu, Anambra State of south-eastern Nigeria. Her parents were Charles Belonwu and Deborah Nwosu. She is the fifth in rank of the seven children of her parents. Joy was born into a music family.
Joy, now retired, was a music teacher, trained in Santa Cecilia, Rome, and obtained her Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Michigan, USA.
She has written and published extensively on national and international scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers.
Her short story I Come from Utopia was published in African Voices, Spring/Summer, 2007, pg. 18, and her first English novel; Mirror of Our Lives: Voices of Four Igbo Women was published in 2011, and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Contest in 2012. She has also two books published in the Italian language.
Joy is a trained musician and taught music for 35 years. She writes, performs, and record folk songs.
Her new book: The Legend of the Walking Dead: Igbo Mythologies, which has just been released, is a journey into the mysteries of life and death of the Igbos of Nigeria. She loves reading romances and mystery stories.
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