Title: A New Age
Author: Oladele Olusanya
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: TBA
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 503
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington

Read Book Review

Reading A New Age: Itan Legends of The Golden Age Book 3 was a pleasant experience. The first thing the author should be applauded for is the flow of the plot. The reader feels as if they are part of the story from the beginning. The author is excellent with the description of events and the characters in their roles. Character formation and development were exceptional too. Each of Oladele Olusanya’s character brings a different mood vibe to the story. The contrast between major and minor characters is clear and also distinct. Oladele Olusanya made the major characters solid while the minor characters were dynamic and easy to like. Some characters, though having minor roles, defined the peak of the story.

We are introduced to Efunyemi in the first chapter. The author then gets to narrate a little history about Yoruba people at the beginning of the 20th century. The author writes about the natives and how the British invaded their lands. Oladele Olusanya is so great in recounting events that one enjoys reading about the history. The author highlights the activities the British partook in and how it affected the people. Being the daughter of a great chieftain of Ikenne, Efunyemi’s nae had some status even in her early days.

Efunyemi is one of the many characters I found to be charming from the beginning. I loved that she was a curious child and was eager to learn about the history of her people among many other things. I enjoyed her story from the time she was a child to when she grew to a beautiful young woman. Soneye was another favorite character. His bravery and confidence made him more attractive. Soneye dared some of the things his peers did not dare to do. His tragic death was unexpected. I had grown fond of the character and wanted to read more of him. His tragic death, however, marked the beginning of a new storyline that was still catchy and engaging.

The development of the story is refreshing. I like that the author twisted some parts of the storyline, catching the reader off guard. Oladele Olusanya’s book is illuminating, interesting, and engrossing. The themes in the book are scholarly and enlightening. In ‘New Age’, the reader gets to live in Yorubaland and other towns in Nigeria. The display of Nigerian culture in the book is impressive. The historical lessons are comprehensive and fun to read. The author focuses on the lives of individuals, but also Nigerian society during the pre-colonial era and after the colonialists left.

We see how Nigerian society transforms over the years and how things get to be different economically, culturally, and politically in the society. The author incorporated several themes in the book. Some of the major themes include traditional marriage, education, religion, betrayal, family bonds, ancient African customs like polygamy, civilization, and love. The style of narration plus conversations among characters are some of the most striking things in A New Age. I appreciate the author for making the end of the book as exciting as the start.