Adé by Rebecca Walker

Adé by Rebecca Walker
Published by New Harvest
Review copy provided by TLC Book Tours

From the publisher:

In this stunning debut novel, Rebecca Walker turns her attention to the power of love and the limitations of the human heart. When Farida, a sophisticated college student, falls in love with Adé, a young Swahili man living on an idyllic island off the coast of Kenya, the two plan to marry and envision a simple life together—free of worldly possessions and concerns. But when Farida contracts malaria and finds herself caught in the middle of a civil war, reality crashes in around them. The lovers’ solitude is interrupted by a world in the throes of massive upheaval that threatens to tear them apart, along with all they cherish.

Due to the fact that my reading and blogging has been incredibly unpredictable for a while now, you may have noticed that this year I’ve done far fewer book tours than I’ve done in years past. However, the ladies at TLC know me really well, so when they suggest I join a tour for something specifically because it sounds like my reading tastes, I tend to go for it.

And I have to give them even more credit (in this case, Lisa!) because this novella was so gorgeous and I just loved every second of it. The romance between Adé and Farida was so sweet and although it was a whirlwind courtship, it just seemed so natural that the two of them would fall in love and make sacrifices to be together. I loved how Farida got so immersed in his culture and with his family, and everyone embraced her because Adé was so clearly in love. She gave up so much to be with him but at the same time, it was clear that she didn’t feel that way at all – she felt that she was gaining so much and couldn’t see what she might be missing out on by moving to the island and staying with him.

Walker’s writing is lush and descriptive, she truly brings the island to life and made me feel like I was right there with Adé and Farida. I normally don’t “get” poetry, and this book isn’t poetry in the traditional sense, but her writing is just so beautiful it feels like one long poem at times. I read this book from start to finish in one sitting, not only because it’s short, but because I couldn’t look away from the gorgeous words on the page.

I loved Adé and highly recommend it. If you are looking for a story that will sweep you off your feet with its gorgeous writing, beautiful love story, and may just bring a tear to your eye, look no further than this wonderful novella by Rebecca Walker.