Rhinoceros Summer: The Maturation of a Teen Photographer in Africa

It occurred to me that the central character of Rhinoceros Summer by Jamie Thornton starts off as the mirror image of the central character of another book that I reviewed last year on The Unmasked Persona’s Reviews.  Lydia Gibbs, the aspiring teen photographer in Rhinoceros Summer thinks that going to Africa will be a tremendous career-making opportunity.    Jazz Hooper, the grief stricken teen with no aspirations in The See Through Leopard by Sibel Hodge, resents being uprooted by her father and hates going to Africa.  See my See Through Leopard Review.  Neither girl found what they expected there, but their experiences in Africa were life-changing.  

                                            

                                          

My main criticism of The See Through Leopard about overt didacticism doesn’t hold true for Rhinoceros Summer.  There are certainly ideas in this novel, but no long speeches.  There are thoughts from the characters that give us their perspectives.  Since there are multiple perspectives, I don’t feel that the author is preaching at me. 

As the novel opens, Lydia the preacher’s daughter, is working at a Christian supply store.   I wondered at that point whether this book could be considered Christian fiction.  Although Lydia’s parents are portrayed sympathetically, their beliefs are not the only ones that are portrayed in a positive light.  So I wouldn’t consider Rhinoceros Summer Christian fiction.  At one point Lydia gets what she considers a surprising African viewpoint on Christian missionaries. 

In The See Through Leopard, Jazz works in a wildlife sanctuary.  She encounters the views of hunters indirectly.  Lydia photographs safaris, so she deals with how hunters think about their activities on a daily basis. Nevertheless, the events of Rhinoceros Summer show me that Jamie Thornton is definitely not sympathetic toward hunters, and does have positive feelings toward those who want to preserve animal species.  It seems to me that Jamie Thornton’s approach has more impact.

I also wanted to comment on the romance aspect in this book.  This is not an ideal relationship.  The characters have flaws, but I also thought they matured over the course of the novel as a result of their experiences.

There is a figure who is mentioned as having been an inspiration to one of the characters.  Reference is made to Ernest Haeckel’s drawings of wildlife, but there is also a remark made by another character about his being in accord with Nazi attitudes.  According to the article about Ernest Haeckel on Wikipedia , he was a pre-Nazi advocate of their doctrines.  It seemed to me that Jamie Thornton was showing us that historical personages who are highly regarded by individuals in our own time may not conform to contemporary standards.  

The complexity with which Jamie Thornton approaches her themes, her characters and the African milieu is what makes Rhinoceros Summer an excellent piece of fiction.

I received this e-book for free from the author through a Booklikes giveaway.

The Unfinished Symphony of African Women: A Guest Post from Lucia Mann

Please welcome Lucia Mann, an author who has overcome some of the worst living conditions a woman should ever face and not only survived, but transferred her pain from her soul to the page and in turn, to us, so that we may know about the African woman's unfinished symphony. She wishes to talk to you today about the plight of women in Africa.

The difficulties women face is Africa is a subject that is dear to my heart. I wrote three books outlining the traumatic hardships of these women, including my own hardship - I was a modern-day slave kept on a sugar refinery against my will. I wrote about this in Beside an Ocean of Sorrow, my first book.

African women face enormous challenges that affect their well-being and health. Their life expectancy is only 41 years - HIV/AIDS is a contributing factor in the poverty of these wretched women, but without them Africa's economy would be in deep trouble. Women work two-thirds of Africa's labor - they work sometimes 18 hours a day and produce 70 percent of food.

African women own not 1 percent of communal property. Only MEN are allowed to own land.

One in six women will become victims of gender violence.

Women, never men, walk 5 miles a day to fetch water.

I was witness to most of the hardships as I was raised in a Zulu Kraal.

Rented Silence (2nd book) has all the answers to how I have so much knowledge about the women of Africa - I'm one of them.

Blurb:
A Witch Doctor's Power and His Ancient Tribal Ways Cruelly Collide with the Force and Authority of Modern Africa.

While the tale of South Africa in the wake of World War II is riveting, violent, and cruel, it also is brimming with stories of kindness, compassion, and courage. Africa's Unfinished Symphony highlights commanding characters who not only bring haunting racial clashes to life but also convey the intense conflicts that existed between archaic customs and modern influences. You will be captivated as you follow the convoluted path of Farida of the ancients battling to become Bertha of the modern world. But are the outcomes of her struggles the best results for her and her beloved Africa? This book will immerse you in historic African themes that will jolt you out of complacency and into compassion.

About the Author:
Lucia Mann is a former British journalist and the author of two previous African-set novels devoted to slavery and racial prejudice, Beside an Ocean of Sorrow and Rented Silence (CBC Book Award winner). Born in British Colonial South Africa in the wake of WWII, Mann saw and felt firsthand the pain and suffering of those who were treated as inferior because of the color of their skin. She currently resides in British Columbia, Canada, where she is fine-tuning her next novel, The Smoldering Fire of the Unforgiving.

Visit www.LuciaMann.com for more information on how you can help alleviate the scourge of modern-day slavery.

Daughter of the Sky by Michelle Diener

This is an incredible story. It's so rich in history--a history I knew nothing of before reading this, people I knew nothing of, a battle I knew nothing of. It touches on so many things and is so much more than just a story.

It's about countries waging war for the wrong reasons, about underestimating others merely because they are different. It's about the life of a soldier and doing what one's told whether it's right or not. It's about divided loyalty. It's about how everyone believes they are right and their way is the right way, without regards to others.

It's Africa and the British empire wants to kill its way into owning all in site. The Zulu people intend to fight for their land and they need a little help...from a former British girl who now lives among the Zulu people. She dresses as a boy, enters, the camp, and spies for the Zulu...and through her we experience the conflicting emotions that goes with this betrayal. She's faced with some difficult choices and her turmoil radiated off the page.

She's a terrific heroine: spunky, brave, honorable, smart. She finds ways to damage their ammo as well as deliver the required data. The war itself we experience through the hero--a man willing to keep Elizabeth's secret. There's romance and drama aplenty. Elizabeth falls in love. A jealous warrior causes trouble. The life of the Zulu people...is just so fascinating. I wish there had been more of it.

The action was intense. I truly didn't know what was going to happen next. There really is no happy ending for this chick. I actually got misty eyed as I read the last page. It was so well done. The author didn't throw us a perfect ending tied in a bow, cause it would have been implausible, and I appreciated that, especially when it seems everyone is writing the most cheesy HEAs nowadays.

My only quibble is the father's journal. I didn't care about the battles in India. I was really only interested in Zululand and Elizabeth.

Four bikes. I got this from netgalley. I highly recommend it.

Favorite passages:

"Where I come from, men don't stare at women's breasts that way. I forgot that. Forgot you would consider it my duty to cover myself, not yours to turn away."

"These whitemen cannot control their lust. Their woman must wear clothes from neck to toe, I hear, because even the sight of an ankle makes them lose their composure."

The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig

I liked some of this and didn't like some of this.


I appreciated the historical setting: Kenya, the look into the flapper lifestyle, the parties, the difference between classes. That kind of drama is always intriguing. I liked the modern-day heroine and the conflicts she faced. It was realistic and I could relate to her...

I could relate to her much more than I could related to the historical heroines. We have two cousins playing tug of war with a man, a man so not worth it in my opinion. Bea is a snot-faced tramp. She looks down on others, is promiscuous with no regard to anyone else, steals her cousin's man, must always be the center of attention. 

Addie is spineless. She follows her cousin around like a puppy. She lets her man slip right out of her hands, and is just... You know, perhaps I'm the only one, but when I'm wronged, that's it. You ain't coming back. Let's move on, you know? I never came to respect Addie any more than I did Bea.

The romance: I didn't feel it between anyone but Clemmie and Jon. That was my favorite romance.

This is entertaining and well researched, but for me to thoroughly enjoy a novel, I must like the main players at least somewhat. I didn't like them, so I had some difficulty with it.

For those wondering what the heck this book is about, I'll post the blurb here rather than summarize it:

As a lawyer in a large Manhattan firm, just shy of making partner, Clementine Evans has finally achieved almost everything she’s been working towards—but now she’s not sure it’s enough. Her long hours have led to a broken engagement and, suddenly single at thirty-four, she feels her messy life crumbling around her. But when the family gathers for her grandmother Addie’s ninety-ninth birthday, a relative lets slip hints about a long-buried family secret, leading Clemmie on a journey into the past that could change everything. . . .

What follows is a potent story that spans generations and continents, bringing an Out of Africa feel to a Downton Abbey cast of unforgettable characters. From the inner circles of WWI-era British society to the skyscrapers of Manhattan and the red-dirt hills of Kenya, the never-told secrets of a woman and a family unfurl.

Three bikes. I got this from Amazon Vine.

Weight of the Crown (Princess Kandake, #2) by Stephanie Jefferson

I am both pleased with this book and ticked off! I'm pleased because it was a darn good story about a strong heroine. I'm ticked off because I just read the last page, which says I have to wait a full year for book three. *has hissy fit.*


That bit aside, Kandake is back. This time...I'm not certain her age at this point, but I'm thinking teenager. In book one she was named her father's successor. In book two, she must take the crown before she's ready and what an adventure it is!

I loved getting a look at Nubia's customs and traditions. As Kandake accepts suitors, readers learn so much about their ways. What is acceptable, what is not. I love how the women there had a SAY. Kandake has to realize, however, that other kingdoms do not respect women in the same manner and must come to terms with that as an overly...aggressive prince decides she is to be his wife and declares himself dominate.

Kandake then forms a plan to prove to him she is not a weak woman and that women can be warriors.

Like book one, book two has surprise bits of humor. There's a small amount of romance as Kandake's girlish crush becomes the admiration of a young woman for a warrior. There's the irritating sister Tabiry. I could do without her. LOL

There is fighting, fear, adventure, intrigue, and surprises. At the end, there is a fascinating marriage ceremony. 

I really like this series. Well written, strong females, unique plots.

Favorite bit:

"Why do these kingdoms prefer to think of women as weak?" Kandake asked, contempt coating her words. "We are not weak."

"It is the way some men prefer to think." Aunt Alodia shook her head. "For these men, it is what they use to make themselves feel strong."

Five bikes. This author understands the meaning of girl power. I received this from the author in exchange for an honest review.

PRINCESS KANDAKE: Warrior by Choice...Appointed to Rule by Stephanie Jefferson

A terrific YA book. I was drawn to this at first because it's about a Nubian warrior queen. It's historical, an exotic setting, an incredibly tough chick. Being a YA, it's simple in its telling, but not overly juvenile, and it's full of morals and thoughts.


It's the story of young girl coming to terms and age with many things.

She doesn't want to be queen. She wants to be a warrior and at first she rebels against being a queen. It doesn't sit well with her, but then fate shows her she is meant for the position and through an adventure, she comes to terms with it and embraces her new path.

Nubia lets women be what they want to be. It doesn't discriminate against either sex. This was fantastic and I love how Kandake ends up sitting down with another group of people and she not only learns to use words over the sword when the situation calls for it, but also shows them women are just as good/strong/equal to men.

Besides her inner turmoil, the conflict is a series of attacks against their trade caravan. Who is the group? A misunderstanding leads to an adventure...there's a moral there. "Get the whole story before you act."

Kandake has to save her brother, prevent a war, fight, think on her feet, and stand up for women. There's horses, escapes, bows and arrows, and just a small touch of romance as Kandake develops feelings for a fellow warrior.

The ending wasn't overly pit-pat either. One conflict is resolved, but another looms on the horizon, and I also found myself wondering...if a story in the future for us regarding Kandake's sister. I sense a lot of things coming. Book two is also on my list.

I highly recommend this one. Five bikes. I received this from the author in exchange for an honest review. Considering my theme is strong is sexy, this book is just a perfect fit here and I hope you all enjoy it too.