Rating: 
Summary: Interesting read!
Review: I was disappointed to see the other customer review that gave this book a 3. I thought it was an interesting concept for a novel, and I enjoyed it. True, it is about a man who is a polygamist, but it doesn't end the way that you think it might. Give it a try...you'll know fairly soon into the book whether you think you will like it or not.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful, evocative first novel
Review: Ms. Busia really gets in the soul of her main character, Solomon Wilberforce in this complicated love story. The imagery is amazing as she describes three different countries in minute detail. She, a woman manages to make a polygamist a sympathetic character--amazing! The many issues put forth in this book made it very hard to put down. I can't wait for her next book!
Rating: 
Summary: I enjoyed it so-o-o-o-o much. A great story!
Review: Not only was I entertained, I learned things about West Africa. A beautiful warm and enchanting story! Keep writing sister, I await the next one! ...and by the way, I did pass it on!
Rating: 
Summary: Got disgusted and Couldn't finish it.
Review: Our bookclub read this book in November and we all felt it was well-written and provocative. Most of the characters were well-developed, even though we would have liked to learn more about what compelled Solomon's wives to surrender to that situation. Solomon was sometimes as illusive as the fictional character he wrote about, but he was likeable, and he was flawed, which made the story easier to swallow.This book encouraged some very honest discussion about relationship boundaries, self-esteem, spirituality, selfishness, and the list goes on. It's a great story that will make you think.
Rating:
Summary: Many Wives like King Solomon - Will it work today?
Review: Our bookclub read this book in November and we all felt it was well-written and provocative. Most of the characters were well-developed, even though we would have liked to learn more about what compelled Solomon's wives to surrender to that situation. Solomon was sometimes as illusive as the fictional character he wrote about, but he was likeable, and he was flawed, which made the story easier to swallow. This book encouraged some very honest discussion about relationship boundaries, self-esteem, spirituality, selfishness, and the list goes on. It's a great story that will make you think.
Rating:
Summary: RAINMAKER
Review: Solomon Wilberforce can make it rain! I mean literally and figuratively. He walks in a room and the air shifts, he's a talented writer of books for children, a man of the people,
socially aware, handsome and gracious. Maybe too much for one woman, that's why Solomon has three. No he's not a player anything that trivial and gaudy would be beneath him. Let's start with Sam, his agent, their relationship is strictly platonic but she knows a rainmaker when she sees one and is hopelessly in love with Solomon. He likes her, enjoys her company, thinks she's a beautiful, talented sister but that's the extent of his interest. He only sees her in the Spring & Fall during his "working" seasons. Miriam is his winter woman, his first love and wife. Miriam, a beautiful midwife, is an icon herself on their home island of Jamaica, she delivered Solomon when she was only 9 years old. Their souls are connected. Summer belongs to Aisha, a young beautiful Ghanaian woman, one look in those big, jet black eyes and Solomon was a goner. Aisha is his second wife. Of course this noble warrior asked Miriam's permission to marry Aisha and she consented. Everything was fine, had been for over 5 years, until Solomon stepped out of season. This is a beautiful story wonderfully told. Busia is a very gifted writer.
Rating:
Summary: RAINMAKER
Review: Solomon Wilberforce can make it rain! I mean literally and figuratively. He walks in a room and the air shifts, he's a talented writer of books for children, a man of the people,
socially aware, handsome and gracious. Maybe too much for one woman, that's why Solomon has three. No he's not a player anything that trivial and gaudy would be beneath him. Let's start with Sam, his agent, their relationship is strictly platonic but she knows a rainmaker when she sees one and is hopelessly in love with Solomon. He likes her, enjoys her company, thinks she's a beautiful, talented sister but that's the extent of his interest. He only sees her in the Spring & Fall during his "working" seasons. Miriam is his winter woman, his first love and wife. Miriam, a beautiful midwife, is an icon herself on their home island of Jamaica, she delivered Solomon when she was only 9 years old. Their souls are connected. Summer belongs to Aisha, a young beautiful Ghanaian woman, one look in those big, jet black eyes and Solomon was a goner. Aisha is his second wife. Of course this noble warrior asked Miriam's permission to marry Aisha and she consented. Everything was fine, had been for over 5 years, until Solomon stepped out of season. This is a beautiful story wonderfully told. Busia is a very gifted writer.
Rating:
Summary: Bravo!
Review: Thank you Akosua for such a timely book. I read this tremendous story 2 years ago. It was very personal for me in many ways. I thank the author for her sensitivity and care in her writings of all of the characters in dealing with such a sensitive issue in our community. We may not want to admit it, but at one point or another we've all been there (sharing), so I could not help but to love Solomon, Miriam and Ashia for their bravery in trying to make something that's impossible in this society work. Ms. Busia allowed the readers to look at Solomon as a loving, caring and sensitive Blackman, with so many different facets and dept to him, you were not allowed to put a label on him (ie, philander). Thank you Akousua for portraying that image to us. Lastly, the intricate way that Ms. Busia was able to link Africans in the diaspora was beautiful! I await a sequal, "Seasons: Part II".
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written
Review: The author writes in a way where the beautiful images of Solomons travel come to life like I've never seen before. This book is one of the most beautiful love stories ever written. It gives love lessons, history lessons, self-awareness lessons. It spoke to me on many different levels in many different ways. This book should be on every book club must read list. My boyfriend and I both read the book and spent hours discussing the characters, their feelings and their lives. We both could relate so well to Solomon and Miriam.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, Enlightening, Thought Provoking, Breathtaking!
Review: The Seasons of Beento Blackbird is a wonderfully written debut novel from Akusia Busia( aka Nettie from the Color Purple). Ms. Busia transports us across continents and cultures as she provides us an emotionally charged and thought provoking read about a very sensitive and taboo subject. Polygamy, One Man, Two Wives--A Disaster Waiting to explode. Seasons is the tale of a very ambitious man and the intriguing web he weaves when he allows himself to fall in love and marry two women on two different continents. Solomon Wilberforce is a smart businessman with admirable, altruistic traits as well as a successful author of children stories about African culture/ history who writes under the pen name Beento Blackbird. Solomon lives his life compartmentalized into seasons. During the winter months, he lives in the Caribbean with his first wife, Miriam, who is 9 years older than him and who has always loved him since the day she delivered him as a midwife. During the spring, Solomon travels to Ghana and spends his time with young, second wife, Ashia. Although Solomon is sharing himself, each wife is aware of the other, and endures the arrangement. However, all partners will soon come to realize that the relationship of sharing will be more complex and emotional than either of them ever imagined. The summer/fall periods are devoted to writing and he spends that time in NYC where his literary agent, Samantha(Sam) only has eyes for Solomon and she tries to convince Solomon that she can do for him what two wives can't. Solomon�s life runs smoothly until he's forced to return to NYC to deal with the death of his father which immediately sends his world into a tailspin and forces him to make some hard decisions about his future and his wives. Busia delivers a very complicated love story in a breathtaking and thought provoking manner. Her writing is descriptive and vivid as she "takes you there" you can see the beautiful colors of the island, taste the rich ethnic foods, hear the ocean, smell the rain, and feel the anger, pain, tension, sadness, joy and love of the characters. While Solomon has his faults, for the most part he's a decent man and you share his anguish as he comes to realize that some of the decisions he made were in poor judgment. The two wives are compelling and realistic characters, although at times I wanted to shake some sense into both of them and tell them to forget about Solomon and move on with their lives. In the end, I was happy to see that both ladies made decisions that they could live with. Seasons is an enchanting and skillfully crafted book with thought provoking situations. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a refreshing read and a lively discussion.
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