Follow Us on Google
By Faith Agboola
Wedding ceremonies are usually filled with fanfares, and have left many in debts due to the pressure arising from such marriages.
However, there is a lopsided emphasis on celebration and glamour rather than the core value of the day: the gravity of a lifetime union. Many couples say their vows giddy with joy, and there is a silent competition to see who can come up with the most iconic lines; but few consider the gravity of the words and whether they are truly capable of holding up their end of the bargain if life chooses to put them to the test.
The novel, “Secrets” depicts the consequences of couples’ obliviousness to the promises they make on their wedding day. Gedu Jolomi Joy, a creative writer passionate about mental health awareness, drags her readers into an emotional battle ring that knocks out the fantasies, which come with weddings and marriages, showing us just how quickly the backbone of a marriage can crumble from numerous blows in the seven-chaptered book.
“Secrets” revolves around two characters, Kola and Kosi, who, like many other couples, imagine a fairytale life until an accident leaves Kola, the husband, paralyzed. Each chapter tugs at the reader’s heartstrings, forcing him or her to reconsider their boundaries and promises made, and those they care about.
The first chapter does not hold back when it comes to the meat of the matter, delving right into the story. The author strategically employs the third person omniscient writing POV to provide insight into the emotional pain that both couples are experiencing, and how much their marriage is hanging by a thread.
If the reader had concerns about the wife’s behaviour toward her husband, Chapter 2 establishes a new thought process through an emotional dialogue with her sister, Chika. With each word spoken, we see disability from an accident in its entirety, as well as the effects it has not only on the victim but also on the loved ones.
“Mommy calls me almost everyday to ask about Kola,” Kosi says. “She hardly ever asks how I’m doing. Everyone is so worried about Kola that they have forgotten that his condition affects me as well.” This statement is the final tug that breaks the reader’s thread of judgment toward Kosi, the wife, and we feel a strong sense of empathy.
In Chapter 3, Kosi reaches her breaking point as she fights her mind. She struggles to resist her greatest weakness disguised as a gift in the form of her husband’s driver, Jack. Though, she wins this battle, albeit temporarily, we get a glimpse into the mind of her most formidable foe in her quest to keep her vows. Jack, their driver, is struggling with his emotions as well, and in Chapter 4, they both lose the battle – like two helpless soldiers fighting on opposing sides of the war.
All of the casualties of the lost war, her trust, loyalty and companionship are demonstrated in Chapters 5 and 6. Though, the miracle that she and her husband have been praying for appears to sprout from the soil of hope; in the sixth chapter, Kosi’s weeds of mistakes block it all so that she doesn’t notice or begins to axe away her errors. Chapter 7 highlights it all, and the reader is left wondering how the broken pillars of their love will be rebuilt.
“Secrets” is a moving novel with just the right amount of suspense and drama. Each chapter stretches the reader’s emotional fabric, making it difficult to choose a side between the protagonists and antagonists. Every character’s action has a reason and logic behind it, no matter how good, bad or ugly it is.
“Secrets” fulfills Gedu’s passion for mental health awareness. It effectively demonstrates the importance of mental health, particularly in troubled marriages. The book is an excellent resource for both singles and married, as it could spark important conversations that can save marriages.
