New book titled, Africa’s Unfinished Symphony, By: Lucia Mann

Sept. 13, 2013 - PRLog -- Lucia Mann’s novel, Africa’s Unfinished Symphony, is a return to a subject important and close to her heart. This novel is the third she has written focusing on racial prejudice and the effects of slavery in Africa. Her latest work tells the fictionalized account of Farida, a child of the Aweer tribe, and her transition into Bertha, a nun of the Catholic Church. At the tender age of 8, Farida endures hardship and tragedy, having to witness the massacre of her entire tribe. With no one else to take care of her, she goes to the only place with room enough to let her in and food enough to feed her, Mother of Mercy convent. While there she studies and eventually converts to Catholicism and takes the Christian name Bertha. The world is a dangerous place, however, even for a nun. Her faith will be tested and her tribal roots will beckon once again. In the end, she will have to decide which life she shall lead. Who will she be, Bertha or Farida, or possibly someone she never would have guessed?

Lucia Mann, a former journalist and native of British Colonial South Africa, treats her subject matter with respect and admiration. Her take on the religious practices of both the tribal roots of Farida’s childhood and the later implications of her new role as Bertha, a nun of the Catholic Church, are refreshingly nonjudgmental. Mann’s journalist background serves her well in this respect, and she is able to see the world as it stands and able to inform readers without letting her own beliefs get in the way. However, readers will be please to find that they will get a much more exciting and colorful world than is often offered by journalists turned creative writer. The world Mann creates in her book is far from black and white, and there is more to the landscape than is immediately apparent to the reader. Farida/Bertha’s world is a realm of mystery, danger, and intrigue. It is a land in which spirits of the dead still impact the world of the living and voodoo is a respected, though often feared, practice. Readers will quickly learn that though this tale takes place in a fictionalized real-world environment there is much that will take them by surprise. In the untamed land of Africa, anything can happen.

My only concern with Mann’s book is the broken timeline she has decided to employ within it. The narrative is far from straightforward and instead twists and bends upon itself, often jumping to a different character or into the past or future without warning. This narrative ploy does work to create a fast-paced read that forces readers to maintain attention, but it does not serve to enhance the transformation of Farida/Bertha’s transformation, which is the main plotline of the tale. It also muddles the tension and danger that is hinted at in the summary of the book that the author has created for her tale. The novel states on its cover that in this tale “A witch doctor’s power and his ancient tribal ways cruelly collide with the force and authority of modern Africa.” This antagonist is not as apparent as he should be, however, and because of this, the final conclusion of the tale feels hurried and a bit far-fetched.

I would not allow this one flaw to discourage from reading this tale however. Lucia Mann’s novel is exciting, heartbreaking, eye-opening, and truly an enjoyable read. It is a quick read that will continue to linger long after the last line has been read. If you are looking for your next compelling and thought-provoking read, I recommend picking up a copy of Africa’s Unfinished Symphony. I plan on reading Lucia Mann’s other two tales, and hope to hear more from her in the future.