Review of Dosun Adeleye's HEARTS OF CLAY
This review was originally posted on my blog in 2018.
Dosun Adeleye's Hearts of Clay follows the journey of Grace, a young woman living in the United Kingdom who travels to Nigeria in search of the answer to her life's mystery. Grace finds herself in some wild situations that test her strength and resolve. While intelligent and independent, Grace's emotional spirit can get the better of her, especially when it comes to love, sex, and secrets.
Dosun Adeleye is especially adept at describing her characters; it is clear that she is passionate about writing them. Our main character sets out to find the question to a lifelong question. Not only does she receive her answer, but she gets caught up in adventures that are at times thrilling and at times romantic. To keep this review spoiler-free, I will say no more but let the reader discover the excitement and emotion on their own.
I especially appreciated reading from the perspective of a woman caught in several dichotomies: between life in the UK and life in Nigeria, between familial relationships and her own autonomy, between living life as expected or life as she wants. The protagonist is smart yet impulsive; Grace is not perfect and Adeleye ensures we can see ourselves in her, faults and all. Adeleye's challenging of social stigmas and gender roles in her writing is admirable.
To be honest, I'm not usually into romances or thrillers, so I am a tough sell in these genres. For me, the book was a bit unconvincing and rudimentary at times. Despite this, I don't doubt that many readers will enjoy this book. The story is one of secrets uncovered, one of trust and abandonment, one of obstacles and ambition. From the outrageous twists to the steamy love scenes to the family drama, Hearts of Clay will appeal to those who appreciate adventurous reads and romantic thrillers, especially those in international settings. Recommended.
Dosun Adeleye can be found online at https://www.facebook.com/Dosunadeleye/.
Title: Hearts of Clay
Author: Dosun Adeleye
Publisher: Dosun Adeleye
Pages: 286
Publication Date: Aug. 30, 2018
My Rating: Recommended
Content information: Mild violence, sexual situations
Disclosures: This post contains affiliate links; I write what I like.
Many thanks to the author for the complimentary ebook.
