Seasons of Beento Blackbird

Rating:
Summary: This book takes you there and you want to stay a while
Review: I read this book for the first time 6 years ago. I enjoyed it so much that I have been waiting with bated breath for Ms. Busia to write another book. I suggested Beento Blackbird for my book club and recently re-read it. It was even better the second time around. This is on my top 10 list of all time favorite books.

Ms. Busia is a very gifted writer and story teller. The way she linked the Carribean, Africa and the United States through the experiences of one man (Solomon) was masterful. The thing that most impressed me about the book was that she dared to tackle a "taboo" subject, polygamy, and did it in such a manner as to not put off the reader. As an American woman, my instinctual response to Solomon would be to dislike him and write him off as a cad. And, to some extent, I feel that he was a cad. However, I was still able to care about him and empathize with him. I also liked how she presented the subject matter from the point of view of the wives, Miriam and Ashia. I was able to understand their motives and why they made the decisions they made, whether or not I agreed with those decisions.

Another thing I liked is that all three main characters were strong. Even in times of weakness, you could still feel their strength. Neither character sold themselves out. I respected them. By the same token, the author's character development was so complete that even the peripheral characters were significant and I was able to see their importance to the story.

Her prose is very lyrical and descriptive. I felt transported to the Carribean and Ghana. I could feel the breeze from the ocean, I could smell and taste the foods, I could see the people and their activities, I could hear the music, the language... I was completely enthralled. I love when a book takes me to another place and I feel as if I am walking right beside the characters as they are living their stories. This book does that for me. Some members of my book club commented that she was a bit too "wordy" in the beginning (I did not feel this way), but were glad they "stuck it out" as the story unfolded and they enjoyed the rest of the book.

I also like that the ending provides closure. You are fairly certain of the fates of the characters and not left "hanging."
Nevertheless, Ms. Busia, I'm still holding my breath, waiting on another novel from you. How long before I can finally "exhale?" ;-)

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: 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.

Rating:
Summary: This is a book for all Seasons 5 +++
Review: The Seasons of Beento Blackbird is overwhelming, it is one of the best book I have read, ever. Set mostly in Ghana and the Caribbean , the scenic descriptions were lush, almost visual. The characters were rich in human spirit and intune with a higher power and were able to show the sacrificies made, when you truly love.

Solomon Wilberforce, the main character was delivered by a 9 year old midwife, to a teenage mother. He spent his early childhood in the Caribbean and then moved to New York City, the home of his absentee, unyielding farther. Solomon, using the pen name Beento Blackbird, writes children's stories about African history using the Blackbird to impart his messages. He returns to the Caribbean, marries his midwife, Miriam, and is seemingly happy, but, during his travels gathering infomrmation for his books, he meets and marries Ashia, a young Ghanian woman. Solomon lives his life in seasons, the winter season in the Caribbean with Miriam, the summer season with Ashia and the remaining season is spent in New York writing. Each wife is aware of the other and have different feelings about the arrangement.

The death of Solomon's farher disrupts his seasons, and thrust his life into a tailspin. When Ashia, with her infant son, travels to the Caribbean and the wives meet for the first time, Solomon has a decision to make. The beauy of this story is that aside from having two wives, Solomon is a decent man. Highly influenced by the teachings of is mother and the lack of teachings from his father, Solomon has lived in emotional turmoil. He wants to belong to one wife, one woman, one love, but he loves both and has never committed fully to either.

Miriam and Ashia share an equal love for Solomon and have themselves bonded. As a reader you find yourself pulling for both wives, because they both deserve the best. Will Solomon continue to live with his wives are will he follow his heart and become ONE with one.

At different stops on Solomon's journey you couldn't wait to see how the story would end. This is a must read.

Rating:
Summary: Romanticism beautifully woven into a fanciful tale!
Review: Though it has been five years since I read this book, I remember it well. In the summer of 97, I hung to the beautifully written words of Busia's debut novel as she took me on an international vacation that was educational, picturesque and sensuous.

"The Seasons of Beento Blackbird" is an excellent novel that awakens your imagination to the creativity of a writer. Solomon Wilberforce is very passionate about the hero of his children's books, Beento Blackbird. He spends a season in Ghana studying its rich, royal African history. Once he gathers his information and completes his season abroad, he returns to New York where he spends another season in seclusion - writing. When his book is complete, he spends the next season with his lovely wife, Miriam, who awaits her beloved on a Caribbean island.

During one of his seasons in Ghana, things change for Solomon... the seasons, the story, and the actual characters who play a part in his life. The romantic hero is suddenly unable to restore order and runs from it all. In the meantime, the author continues with her creatively woven story. The ending is happy, and so are the readers.