I won’t lie to you. Having decided to become a full-time writer at the beginning of this year, I do spend an awful lot of time by myself, often wearing slippers, gazing into the middle distance and trying to activate the random adjective generator in my brain.
One of the most enjoyable things about being a writer, however, is that you get to meet some truly fascinating people. I am a member of the Association of Christian Writers (ACW) and without them I would never have written that fateful blog about a snobby lifestyle blogger which turned into the Isabella M Smugge series.
Through ACW, I have the enormous privilege of knowing people who write in a wide variety of different genres, in different voices and from different places. One of these is the author I am reviewing today, the remarkable Sophia Anyanwu.
When I attended one of Sophia’s online book launches during lockdown, I remember thinking, “This is a woman who is surrounded by family.” Her husband and children were all part of the event, full of enthusiasm and support for her. It was unbelievably heart-warming. Reading through the dedications to her family, past and present at the beginning of the book brought a tear to my eye. There is so much love and respect for her family roots and history here.
Sophia has published a number of books and the one I’m reviewing today is, “Their Journey: From Earth to Heaven.”
Their Journey: From Earth to Heaven by Sophia Anyanwu
Sophia writes exclusively Christian content and this book is no exception. Described as Christian romantic fiction, it follows the story of Alade and Bridget, two young people about to get married. We begin on their wedding day in 1957, in a church in Benin, Nigeria. The authorial voice tells us that this young man has had quite a history, fathering three children by three different women. Having met Bridget, however, he decides it’s time to enter the holy estate of marriage, but he has secrets, and on their wedding night, it’s time to admit them.
Sophia takes us back to the beginning of the couple’s courtship. Having spotted Bridget in a bookshop, he decides to get to know her better by offering English lessons. As soon as her front door opens, however, he’s greeted by her younger sister who sees right through him. This passage really made me laugh.
‘Good evening. I am Bridget’s lesson tutor. Is she in?’
The young girl closed the door on him and ran back to tell her mother what she understood. Over the years in her young life, she had gotten accustomed to suitors knocking on their door to seek her older sister’s hand in marriage.
‘Mama,’ she began. ‘There is a man in front of our door who wants to marry Sister B.’
‘Is that so? Call your sister for me.’
The trouble is, Bridget already has a fiancé. However, it doesn’t take long for her to fall in love with her tutor and so their journey together begins.
The book is written in Nigerian English which takes a little while to get used to. I very much enjoyed the rich descriptions of food, clothing and language which underpins the narrative. Family life is also a central part of the novel in all its complexities and joys.
The author takes us on a rollercoaster journey through the couple’s marriage, as children come, they pursue their careers and have many ups and downs. Through the decades, the story unfolds, with a rich cast of characters all around. In 2004, Alade dies and the book ends in 2005 with Bridget’s own funeral.
This is a huge narrative jam packed with detail. It’s not a book to be rushed, but one to be savoured. If you like Christian romance with a good dash of history, this is for you!
Buy a copy of Their Journey: From Earth to Heaven by Sophia Anyanwu here