 Mainstream Fiction |
SHE'LL LEARN Sybil Barkley-Staples Sadorian Publications November 2002 (4+) Wayne Jordan |
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REVIEW: |
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SHE’LL LEARN is the story of three friends, their loves, their trials and their joys. Maxine Harrell, Indira Carr, and Sydney have been friends for ages, and realize the value of their friendship. Each of them has had to face the harsh realities of life. As each woman deals with personal issues, she grows as an individual discovering the essential role that she must play in life. Neither of these women is perfect. They have all made mistakes, but know that they can turns to each other for comfort when they need a shoulder on which to cry. Each woman’s story is real, and reflects the issues that women face in today’s society. Maxine, unable to find the right man, finds herself pregnant for the man who she finally feels strongly about, only to discover she is pregnant. Indira, the abused wife, is devote to a husband who continues to use her as a punching bag. And Sydney, whose life is devoted to God, must face the man who deserted her, and learn to forgive, and love again. Ms. Barkley-Staples pens a story that will take readers through a range of emotions. At times I felt angry with the women, wondering how they could allow themselves to be used so easily, but cheered whenever they made decisions that helped them to grow closer to becoming strong confident women. Then, there were times I laughed…and times I feel their pain. The male characters are not all bad and Ms, Barkley-Stapes does show that there is the possibility of redemption. Sydney’s boyfriend, Anthony, who had deserted her, returns a changed man. I understood Sydney’s anger towards him, but the character Ms. Barkley-Staples creates is a man who is honest and hardworking, and wants Sydney’s forgiveness. He knows that he has messed up, and needs to prove that he is not the same irresponsible man that he was. SHE’S LEARN is a mostly a story about friendship. Each of the main characters knows the importance of friendship in her struggle for survival. One of the secondary characters is the book, Aunt Betsy, sums up this sentiment perfectly: "Togetherness offers a woman time to vent, to give and receive support, express themselves, and to comfort one another thought the trials and tribulations of their lives. Women aren't looking for solutions to their problems, only friendship." I’ve always been a bit cautious of reviewing books from small publisher. Maybe, it’s an unfair bias, but I’ve always been turned off by the quality of the stories, and the numerous formatting and grammatical errors that seem to pop up with regularity. However, SHE’LL LEARN is a clear indication that a thing of beauty can be found where it is least expected. With this inspiring debut, Ms. Barkley-Staples has proven that she is going to be a major player in the years to come. Readers, like me, will be anticipating her next release. Let’s hope the wait isn’t too long! |
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wayne@romanceincolo.net (28th March 2003) |
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