Hey,
Welcome to another episode of The Spotlight. How are you doing? I hope your weekend is going awesome!
Today, I’m reviewing another book by Eniola Prentice. It’s actually the second book in her Still series, and I reviewed the first earlier this year. I started reading this book about two or three months ago. I’ve just been reading a little bit at a time, as I’ve been joggling a bit. This week, I read the last 25%, as the story rounded up.
The second book is called Mercy, and it’s clearly something all the major characters realise their need of in this volume. The story follows the format of the first, where the four main characters narrate what is happening in their lives, their feelings and struggles with family, relationships, medical school and more. You can connect with each characters perspective and emotions, and observe how their lives collide and the challenges they are each going through.
The story starts from their second year, following the drama and crisis of the term before. Sola is double-minded about Ladi, as she’s still bound to Dare, who knows things about her no one else does, and she doubts anyone else can accept. Ladi is determined to pursue a relationship with Sola despite this, and puts up with her back and forth, until Dare shows up at a party, and rather than stay with him, she goes to Dare.
We learn a lesson from Ladi, and how he deals with his disappointment and heartbreak. A man who has always promoted higher values is confronted with his own humanity. And this takes him on another personal journey, as he comes to terms with his soiled reputation and his constant need for God’s mercy. His reaction to her action also leads to Sola’s disillusionment, as she had placed him on a pedestal. She realises that she cannot put her hope and trust in any man, and meets a couple who help her to address the painful past, and also accept God’s love.
Tayo continues to struggle with his alcohol addiction and his desire to be with Nikky, who he has hurt one too many times with his drunken dramas. Despite his best efforts, going to AA meetings, being monitored at the university, and trying to change his partying ways, he still finds himself giving in to the drink. When he learns the truth about what happened between him and Sola many years ago, he surrenders to the drink to cope, until a friend comes and helps him to see his need for rehab.
Despite his apparent death wish, and the constant warning from her best friend, Sola, Nikky can’t seem to stay angry at Tayo. He disappointed her by being nowhere to be found when she needed him the most, he doesn’t seem to care if she dates other men, and is cluelessly hooked on the bottle, but their’s is a special love… Babe is crazy, if you ask me!
I’m so glad Eniola put a disclaimer at the end of story, about how she didn’t want anyone to take the lesson that they should stay is bad relationships because of loving feelings, which Nikky’s character is determined to do. Tayo’s character surprisingly shows the most development in this story about very troubled youths. At the end of the book, he is the most transformed, considering where he started.
I found Nikky’s and Sola’s characters disappointing. They seem to be having a hard time with reality, and are both stuck on the wrong men, at least it would seem. Sola’s narrative, especially, was head-bangingly frustrating, as she seemed to be stuck in a loop. But I guess that was the author’s way of showing just how strong her emotional entrapment to her past and Dare was. May God help her to see and stand in Book Three!
Ultimately, it was a good read, deep and relatable and very God glorifying. The book touches on so much, and treats each topic, whether alcoholism, mental health, fornication, betrayal, with insight and respect. It is a story that must be told, and must be read. I applaud and hail Eniola as she continues this story. May God guide your pen and enlighten the way forward for your characters, and readers facing similar life issues.
Photo credit: http://www.pixabay.com
If you liked this post, you might like THE SPOTLIGHT: A REVIEW OF “STILL – BOOK 1” BY ENIOLA PRENTICE
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