Review of The Glimmer of Life

[Rebecca De Figueiredo]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Glimmer of Life" by Moon Jones.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Title: The Glimmer of Life
Author: Moon Jones

A lot happens in this story. The reader is first introduced to Dobro, an enslaved African man who is subsequently smuggled back to Namibia, Africa. There is a mysterious stone which 'protects' his strong and impressive Ankh Adar, or 'lost tribe'. They live deep within the depths of some caves, and the stone is protected by the tribe.

Many years later, we meet the Ankh Adar members Oye, his brother Uchee, and their grandmother Mahua, who are on a mission to leave the caves and recover the stone which was taken by an unscrupulous archaeologist, Dr Reese, and his friend, the unsavoury Bellevue.

I enjoyed the book's first half: it was beautifully written with lovely imagery of animals (especially the hyenas and dolphins) and had a supernatural, slightly pre-historic feel. The second half was more concerned with the noise, bustle and risks of a fast-paced American city. We meet Lafayette, who befriends Oye and other rather dark characters. Oye is in New Orleans, where he quickly adapts to this way of life.

We meet Clovis, who is not who he says he is, and his character holds many surprises. He is a pretty unsavoury character.

This book is a tale of magic, bravery and interesting African folklore. It will entertain the reader, and I recommend it to younger readers. There are twists and turns towards the end, with a very satisfactory finish.

The editing was not perfect, and I noticed many typos. Because of this, and also because I felt quite confused at times: How did Oye learn to read so quickly? I did not get a feel of his emotions during his trip, which was very far away and very different from his home.

Because of the above dislikes, I will take a point off and award the book(b) four out of five stars.

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The Glimmer of Life
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[Mark Lazarus]

The mystical imagery and rich folklore in the early parts really captured my imagination, though the abrupt shift to urban chaos left me a bit puzzled. I’d be interested in exploring its magical side despite some rough edges.

[Gabriela Contreras Gonzalez]

The first part of the book intrigues me, the second half not so much, I would still give the book an oportunity if I happen to find it online.