Male Monday: The Door of No Return

The Door of No Return by Sarah Mussi 2008
Margaret K. McEldery Books/Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Rating: 2/5

IQ "I'd remembered one of Pop's sayings: 'Where there's a will there's a way, and when there's no way there's always excuses.' I'd add 'and lazy old buggers.' We'd laugh." Zac pg. 64 (that quote made me smile)

Zac Baxter's grandfather drills into his head that he is the descendant of Ghanaian kings, whose treasure was stolen when Zac's ancestors were sold into slavery by the British. Zac doesn't believe his grandfather, after all he's elderly and living in the past but then his grandfather is murdered and their apartment is ransacked. Suddenly it's not just a tall tale anymore, the treasure becomes very real and very important. Zac is determined to get to Ghana to find not just the treasure but his roots. His grandfather's dying words had to do with Zac having the treasure map but Zac has no clue what that means, he hasn't seen one. He discovers clue after clue but the people who murdered his grandfather always seem to be a step ahead and quite influential with the government. Who can Zac trust?

I didn't realize this book was going to end up being about reparations for slavery. I think the reparations debate is completely silly (especially given the state of the economy these days, where is the government going to find the money to pay all the Black descendants of slaves in their country? AND how do you know if some of your ancestors were slaves, not everyone can afford to have their family history traced....) so that put a slight damper on my enjoyment of the book because I kept rolling my eyes. Aside from that I didn't like how this book was ALL ABOUT Zac. It was all in his head for the most part and the few dialogues in the book turned into monologues between characters. At times the dialogue/slang sounded stiff, thrown in just to sound 'cool' or something because otherwise it didn't make much sense (granted there was a lot of British slang I presume). The secondary characters provided background noise and help when needed (or violence) but little else, including the few people Zac decided to trust. And *spoiler: highlight to read* why did Zac take his friends on a shopping spree? They were BARELY mentioned! *End spoiler* Speaking of whom to trust, Zac goes on and on about how growing up in the streets he knows not to trust many people, especially after what happens to his grandfather and his home but then he trusts someone that it seemed (to me anyway) quite clear he shouldn't. He was extra careful about everyone except the one person he needed to be which made it seem too obvious as to who was going to betray Zac. I was even more disappointed in the long history of Ghana (provided in a monologue by a chauffeur) it should have been presented in a more interesting, varied way. Furthermore, Ghana wasn't described in great detail. In the end Zac talks about how Ghana is the best country in the world, I wanted to love it too but I didn't get a real sense of Ghana from this book. I hated how Zac kept saying "I regretted this" or "I shouldn't have done" that, to me that takes away an element of surprise.

Some elements of the story were well done. The history of Portuguese explorers, the British & Ghanaians was fascinating to read about, even if it was described in a long conversation. A small part of the story that I loved was the location of the treasure map. It was unrealistic definitely but a cool concept. While I did not get a strong feel for Ghana, I did get a through description of Gloucester, England, that city was one I could imagine as well as the hamlet of Syde (which might be fictional?). Since the story was all about Zac and his thoughts, the emotional intensity of the story was there. I was terrified for Zac, it would be very scary not being able to trust anyone because your life depends on it. He goes through a lot for a sixteen year old (seeing his grandfather murdered before his eyes, community home, court apperances) and I could literally taste the fear sometimes especially when he was in Ghana. I don't want to give too much away but Zac goes to Ghana on the ruse of doing community service and the place he ends up at would scare me to death. I was amazed that he kept it together. There was another quote that really resonated with me, "He [Pops] had a way of telling things; his voice pulled you into that mysterious place where the past burnt brighter than any pale present, and you hungered to be there, where 'brave deeds and terrible sacrifices' made life worth living" (pg. 60).I can totally relate to that, wanting to be swept up in a cause that's bigger than yourself, that you believe in so passionately (ending slavery, women's suffrage, civil rights). I think my (American) generation is looking for our 'big' cause but maybe that's a lot of 'little' causes (although I think it might be immigration).

The Door of No Return is not a peachy keen read which I appreciated, there are some really dark moments. I did not appreciate Zac's sloppy narration because while I liked how random it could be (after all I think most teenagers' thoughts are pretty random), the slang and his dramatics annoyed me. I really didn't like how Zac didn't interact much with other characters, basically the author used them for what they could give Zac (or hurt him for) and then disregarded them, bringing them up again when convenient. Certain parts of the story were well done such as the descriptions of Gloucester (not that I've been there), Black life in Gloucester, and the treasure map along with the story behind the treasure. At the same time, the pacing is incredibly uneven (fast moving-sloooowwwwwww-fastfast) and I wasn't completely satisfied with how convenient the mystery was solved. Ultimately it worked out that I ended up waiting two years to read this book, I didn't miss out on much.

Disclosure: Got it from the library

Ipods in Accra

Ipods in Accra by Sophia Acheampong 2009
Piccadilly Press

Rating: 3/5

IQ "I felt that every time I did something connected to my Ghanaian heritage, I fitted an extra piece of a jigsaw puzzle. After talking to Mum and Dad, I realised that I'd been really confused about not being Ghanaian enough in Kumasi or English enough in London. They'd made me realise that it didn't matter if I never discovered all the pieces to my Ghanaian heritage, because the English pieces could fit just as well. Until then, it had never crossed my mind that I could be both Ghanaian and British and have two ways of seeing and being seen by the world." Makeeda pg. 153

*SPOILER IN SUMMARY*

Makeeda and her boyfriend have broken up and Makeeda should feel upset about it (or so she thinks) but all she feels is relief. But then later on, she feels jealous when she spots him with a new girl. What gives? In addition, her mother announces that they are going on a girls-trip to Ghana. Makeeda, her mother, her sister Delphy and her cousin, Tanisha. Makeeda is worried that once again Tanish will try and cozy up to her mother, resulting in her mother forgetting all about her. In Ghana, Makeeda learns a few things about herself, both good and bad. She's struggling to combine both of her cultures, but can she combine them? Most importantly, why is Nick acting so strangely around her now, is it love?

*End of Spoilers*

I didn't like the sequel as much as I liked the first book, Growing Yams in London. The plot seemed more vague and Makeeda was starting to irritate me. She goes on and on about how she's nothing special and yet she has a group of guys falling at her feet. Then she plagued by indecisiveness and can't see what's right in front of her. Perhaps I'm running out of patience with these types of characters, but I honestly don't get why she was so down on herself when clearly other guys found her attractive. Furthermore, it was SO OBVIOUS that Nick was into her. It was obvious in the first book too. Makeeda is an awkward character and this is both a cause for concern and a cause of laughter. Makeeda really gets into it when she basically tells someone they "aren't Ghanaian enough" and then she has the nerve to be upset when that person is upset with her. I was truly baffled as to why she couldn't see how this was hurtful since she got upset when people said it to her! Then to make matters worse, Makeeda decides to participate in a Ghanaian puberty ceremony. I can't even tell you what really happened during that ceremony because the details were so vague. I went and looked it up and that cleared things up a bit, but I wish the author had gone into more detail on it because it could have been very interesting. At the same time, Makeeda seems very immature for a sixteen year old and the issues discussed during a puberty ceremony were probably alien to her since she never mentions them (which I found odd because let's face it, teenagers have to talk about their sexuality at some point). Makeeda freaks out before the puberty ceremony because she doesn't know what she got herself into and at that point I just wanted to shake her and say JUST ASK SOMEONE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO! I understood why she couldn't back down but she could have rid herself of anxiety if she had just asked her parents about what she would be going through.

I was happy to re-enter Makeeda's delightful world. While I do complain about Makeeda not seeming like any sixteen-year old I know maturity wise, I also enjoy her innocence. Less innuendo and other dramatic issues. She's just living a relatively happy, high on not-so-serious drama. Plus Makeeda ALWAYS cracks me up at some point in the back. Like when she's talking about her phone time restrictions and how she can only call at certain times and for homework purposes "It wasn't like we could say everything we needed to say in a conversation at school. I mean, why send us to school if we're not meant to concentrate on our lessons? Parents wanted us to learn and still cram in vital conversations too?" (pg. 5) The thing about Makeeda is she has a great voice. I can sense her sitting next to me and chatting away nonstop about her life with DJ Nelson, Nick and her best friend, Bharti. I also loved seeing Bharti's confidence grow. I know we girls are told that having a guy interested in us shouldn't affect our confidence, but it so does. A guy is interested in Bharti and that puts some pep in her step. It's not just that though, she's also taking dance classes which keeps her active, lets her have fun and she's losing a bit of weight. It's healthy and she's happy. Win-win :)

Ipods in Accra is a merry read. Makeeda and her friends' antics will keep readers smiling, although at times it will be smiles of pain at how mental they can act. These books are very laid-back and it was nice to read something that's not intense. Yes the storyline of Makeeda feeling pulled by both sides of her culture, Ghana and Britain was predictable and has been told countless times, but I'd never read it from a Ghanaian perspective so I enjoyed that. I just wish these books had some more details and the characters acted a bit more mature (although that sounds awfully contradictory doesn't it? I love the chill factor of the books and the immaturity of the characters and yet I want them to grow-up!). I also wish more had been done with the Delphy storyline. I love the relationship between Makeeda and her little sister Delphy and yet I wanted to know more about Delphy's business ventures (she's well on her way to being a top businesswoman at such a young age!). I couldn't understand why her parents were so against her being involved in business. It wasn't an issue of sexism or anything like that. There are once again a few plot line with serious potential but the author doesn't go as far with them as she could. Regardless, they fill a niche in British multicultural YA fiction and that's a must. I recommend picking this book up when you want something light and delectable.

Disclosure: From Kaz. Thank you, thank you!

Happy Holidays!

Throwback Thursday: Growing Yams in London

Growing Yams in London by Sophia Acheampong 2006

Picadilly Press


Rating: 3.5/5


IQ "Makdiva: Not LOL! Totally embarrassing-my lips were left in the air before I realized we had company.
PartyBharti: Ha! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Makdiva: Bharti?
PartyBharti: Sorry, I fell off my chair and my finger got stuck on the 'a' key.
Makdiva: Liar! There's an exclamation mark
PartyBharti: Ok, but I did fall off my chair. " pg. 59 An IM conversation

Makeeda is enjoying her life in London. She has friends and even a potential boyfriend. Besides juggling strict parents, trying to figure out if DJ Nelson likes her and maintaining her friendships Makeeda also struggles with her Ghanaian culture. She doesn't know much about it and this never really bothered her. But things are starting to change, and life is getting more complicated.

As usual I was charmed and fascinated by everyday life in London, especially since this one was less serious drama and more of the drama that results from misunderstanding and lack of communication (still not sure about her relationship with Nelson, it was a bit weird). This was a relatively easy read, the British terms could be figured out based on contest. I gathered that the GCSE is like a high school entrance exam? I do wonder if all the British bands mentioned were real or made up (like Fairytale, 221). Does anyone know? I loved how everyone says "All right?" in place of "hey" or "what's up". I think I got a better feel for how teenagers in London interact with each other. The author did a good job with IMs and text messages. Sometimes authors include technology and it just doesn't work because they mix up what goes with what. Sophia Acheampong makes no such mistake and the IM conversations were particularly entertaining.

One of my favorite parts of the novel was the emotional and family aspect of it. Makeeda isn't overly rebellious of her parents and Ghanaian culture, but she does resist some of their rules. The reader isn't talked down to as the author talks about Ghanaian culture, the explanation of Ghanaian terms is very subtle, it comes from conversations or the context around it.Her relationship to her parents felt authentic and I'm glad that her parents weren't ghost figures, they had an active presence in her life. Not only were her parents active, but Makeeda actually spent time with her younger sister, Delphina. Sometimes they get along, sometimes they don't. Their relationship was refreshing because while Makeeda is annoyed by Delphy, she doesn't hate her (too many times siblings in YA books only seem to hate each other). It seems obvious to the reader right away that Makeeda has two admirers. However, as the novel continues, I began to doubt if a certain someone really did like her, since he dated other people. I was suspicious about DJ Nelson for most of the novel and I didn't always buy their relationship, it just seemed odd. I also thought her teacher's resistance to Makeeda researching Yaa Asantewaa (A Ghanian Queen) was puzzling. That particular storyline did not go where I thought it was going and I wasn't satisfied with the result. SPOILER, highlight to read: I thought Makeeda's teacher was so against it because she was a bit racist. What I mean is that she didn't think Ghanaian culture (or even African culture) had any important figures to learn about, therefore she didn't want Makeeda to do the project. Instead she claims that she just thought there wouldn't have been enough reference material. The author could have really done something with that storyline and I was disappointed that she did not. *End of Spoiler

Growing Yams in London is a beguiling novel that looks at life in London for Ghanaian teenagers. It's yet another novel that emphasizes that even if we have different cultural backgrounds, the struggles we go through are mostly the same, especially as teenagers. It can seem a repetitive message but it's one that some people obviously still need to hear. Makeeda is a funny, sometimes awkward main character. She is someone that everyone can relate to, especially in her struggles with her parents, and in trying to juggle school, friends and her slowly blossoming love life. All the characters are well developed and a lot of fun to read it (especially Nelson's friends and Makeeda's best friend Bharti). The IQ shows the humorous side of this novel and it's a very fun read. I look forward to learning more about them. I'm eager to start reading the sequel to see what's next for Makeeda and to learn if her little sister was able to grow yams in London :)

Disclosure: Received from Book Fairy #3 Thank you Kaz! *hugs*

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