A COMPARISON OF TWO REVIEWS OF THE NOVELLA "DON'T JOIN"

I usually don't write reviews, but I feel this novel is worth sharing with you. Have you ever heard of the saying "Guys would  be guys, and girls would be girls? " Well, I always didn't pay much attention to it until I read two reviews of this awesome novel by members of the opposite sex. But first, let me tell you a bit about the MUST READ novel. 

The novella “Don’t Join” illuminates realities of gang life in the Nigerian university environment. Set in Nigeria, it follows the adventures of Uche, a boy who joins a gang without knowing the consequences. His new life of pain, fear and bloodshed reveals the struggles of being a gang member – and the danger that comes with it. 

Looking at two review of the book, you could easily tell that one was written by a man and the other by a woman.

The lad focused on the gory, thrilling and radical aspect of the book such as rage, fear, bravery, pride and death.  As shown in an excerpt below;

• When you read a rarified yet extraordinary book like Don’t Join, you will have a different view about Death. It is inevitable and it is something that we should embrace now and probably plan towards it. The book adopted a University campus in the Nigerian setting which comprised of radical students who believed in social pride, war and death. Even at the face of death, they feared absolutely nothing.

•  “Tell them how no one could tamper with you because you were my friend; tell them I died a hero and that my spirit dwells in Valhalla, a place where all great warriors go. Tell them that I am brewing [drinking] from Mimir, the fountain of wisdom with the gods.” Then he growled like a wolf, Awoo! Awoo!”…”Continue reading here http://denizutopia.wordpress.com/2014/09/30/book-review-dont-join-by-azubike-a-ahubelem/                                                                                              

On the other hand the lady focused on the romantic parts of the book  that covered topics such as love, tension and commitment. Expressing her disgust over some of the male characters which she described as naïve, comical and too brutish. As shown in the excerpt below;

• However, there was another female that I found difficult to resist and she is named Suzy. She is described as more beautiful, tougher, and more courageous than Uju. In my own words I would personally say she comes across as a trained snake that is loyal to its master and can strike at anytime when threatened. Suzy created tension in the story line and challenged Uche in the commitment in his relationships. The end result from these indirect challenges I must add, was pretty much surprising and hence made me wonder how many guys would actually go ahead with Uche’s decision. Such scenes were written very well in relation to tension, mystery and sadness. As the reader I felt captivated by such scenes, keeping in mind that the book is also funny, when looking at how naïve some of Uche’s friends were in certain situations. A good example is a character named “12 Seconds”. He seemed to be bit too brutish and comical. The stories he enjoyed telling sounded like something straight out of a SIN CITY comic book. Although he was fun to read about I couldn’t help thinking he was just a mere display of testosterone and machismo. READ MORE AT: http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/1496986970/ref=cm_cr_dp_text?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=byRankDescending#RU821TDSCTN9C

Personally, I prefer to go with the saying; "what a man can do, a woman can do better". You'll decide for yourself after you read the reviews.

Don’t Join is written by Azubike Akin Ahubelem and published by AuthorHouse UK

Hardcover | 6 x 9 in |110 pages| ISBN 9781496986962

Softcover | 6 x 9 in |110 pages| ISBN 9781496986972

E-book | ISBN 9781496986986

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Contacts:

Website: http://www.jollyrogueseries.com

Twitter: @DTjoin

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