Flesh and the Devil

Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST I've read this Year!
Review: Several days ago I did a review for another book by Kola Boof--"Long Train to the Redeeming Sin". I was blown away by that slim volumne of short stories, completely convinced that Ms. Boof is destined to be regarded as one of the most important women's voices of this generation, and decided to check out her novel, "Flesh and the Devil".

It's brilliant.

The editor could have checked for some of the grammatical errors in the text, but other than that--I LOVED IT.

First of all, the book is just totally different from any other book out there. I've read The Darkest Child, Little Scarlett, The Black Men Gay Down Low Book, Bill Clinton, The HONEYWELL, ZANE, "The Known World" and Toni Morrison's "LOVE" and none of them captivated me, entertained me or surprised me as much as this book did. "Flesh and the Devil" is just a very unique "Black love story" (and we're talking BLACK LOVE story) cast from beginning to end with interesting black people (I loved the King and Queen! of the GOD tribe) and that alone is groundbreaking right about now.

There's also one of the most blatantly truthful characterizations of a selfish white woman that I've ever seen in the portrayal of Shane's white wife, Rosaria Socrates Roberts. Talk about a character!

I don't want to give away the core of the story, but it starts in ancient West Africa with the creation of the earth and the African people and from there details the "moon-crossed" love between Prince Shango and Princess Ife Ife which goes on for thousands and thousands of years. From Africa to slavery in the American south all the way to the modern present day 2004 as Shane Roberts and RooAmber Childress meet again in Washington, D.C. but are married now to white people (Rosaria Socrates Roberts).

Now of course, none of what I just told explains or covers the intricate depth of the book or prepares you for what the book is about. Like Alice Walker, Kola Boof doesn't write with a "PLOT"--she writes with "IDEAS". Her books (the two I've read) are very disturbing in some places, they explore controversial issues with an In-Your-Face frankness (such as the part in "Flesh" when Mother Iyanla explains to RooAmber what a 'n***er is) and the writing is very rich, poetic and filled with social commentary and racial anger. You cannot read Kola Boof's work if you're not ready to be reminded of some hard truths and to literally feel the pain of those truths.

But I am agreement with the other BLACK WOMEN who have posted reviews of "Flesh and the Devil" here (let us respectfully ignore the two white posters).

This book is worth EVERY PENNY and it's one of the best books I've read all year. "Flesh and the Devil" is a really special BLACK LOVE STORY and it's waaaayyyyy overdue.

Bravo Kola Boof.






Rating:
Summary: SPEECHLESS
Review: This book totally took me by surprise. I still haven't gotten over how stunned I was reading it. It's supposed to be a black love story, but it's way more socio-political than that. One of the best books of 2004! Incredibly good!

Rating:
Summary: Monarch Butterfly
Review: While this book had my mouth hanging on the floor in the second half, because it wasn't what I was expecting, I have to admitt that I am thankful that God led me to read this book by such a gifted, passionate, truthful African woman.

There is a movie called SANKOFA that was popular in the black community about ten years ago and "Flesh and the Devil" reminds me of that movie only better.

I would try to explain what the book is about, but that is hard to do. All I can say is it's about our African American ancestors and their voyages to America and it's about this black couple that were royalty and became slaves and how their love lasted from here to eternity. The book covers so many issues of blackness, black history and women's secrets that I find it hard to pinpoint what the book is about. It's DEEP. I place Kola Boof in the same category with J. California Cooper, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker and Alex Haley. She writes very beautifully and her voice is rich. I will definitely be buying her other books and I recommend that sisters and brothers check this love story out. It's inspiring.