|
The title character in CHASING DESTINY, while not necessarily the main protagonist, plays a major role in the shaping of the story. Destiny is the 15-year-old daughter of Keith and Carmen, who have been married for nearly 18 years. Keith and Carmen had filed for divorce, but as the story opens, Keith's girlfriend Billie announces that she is pregnant with his baby, while he tells her that the divorce is off. He is going back to Carmen; although he no longer loves Carmen, he's doing what he thinks is right for their daughter. The news about her pregnancy and his divorce are confessed in a public place (at a Starbucks in Ladera Heights, no less), and it's not a pretty scene.
Billie's and Keith's lives are worlds apart. While Keith and his family live the life of upper class African-Americans in the better part of Los Angeles, Billie is barely making ends meet. She is a part-time substitute teacher, does some singing on the side, is a bartender at night, and also teaches people how to ride motorcycles. She's famous for her yellow Ducati, riding it all over Los Angeles and looking sexy. She attracts a lot of people, men and women alike, but loves Keith and has been patiently waiting for his divorce to become final.
Thus begins the story of Billie and Keith, and the secret life of Destiny, in a world that is dangerous and shocking.
Carmen and Keith see their daughter as an innocent child who is about to become a woman, but is a child nonetheless. They have no idea that she sneaks out at night and hangs out with other teens and young adults who sell drugs, make pornographic DVDs, and pimp on the side. Destiny is trying her best to find someone or something to feel connected to, and she gets mixed up with the wrong crowd. She learns to speak their lingo, pretending she is one of them. Reading about Destiny's adventures almost shocked me, and it is her dealings with these "friends" that help add to the spice and tension of this fast-paced book.
Billie is angry at Keith because he reacts to her pregnancy as if it is not his concern, and it feels like a slap in the face when he announces he's returning to Carmen, who has a lot of issues. What Billie doesn't realize is that Keith is doing what he thinks is right, based on the threats by Carmen and her parents, two fiercely protective Jamaicans who will do anything to keep their daughter happy.
There is some comic relief in the form of Billie's Korean housemate, Viviane, who was raised by a black stepfather and her Korean-born mother. She is a very glamorous woman with an almost insatiable appetite for sex and is always telling Billie about her latest exploits. The banter between the two brings a light touch to a novel in which tension levels reach an all-time high by the end of the story. What one may find interesting is how all these various characters crisscross and unknowingly affect each other's futures. At first, there are no connections, but it seems that Destiny's dangerous liaisons on the streets are what eventually ties them together. And Destiny, who at first gives the impression that she approves of Billie, later reveals her true colors. The girl is in definite need of a psychiatrist. A very troubled teenager, she's about to cause more havoc than anyone could have ever guessed. It's not surprising, however, seeing how crazy Carmen can be --- and the grandparents are a piece of work as well.
I found CHASING DESTINY to be grittier and much darker than Eric Jerome Dickey's usual fare, but filled with the raunchy sex scenes and wiseguy characters he's known for. Also, events don't take place in just the ghetto or in some fancy upper class neighborhood. His characters cross over into one another's territories, creating stories with a lot of energy and high-packed action when these two worlds collide. For fans of African-American lit and those who want to venture into this growing genre, I recommend CHASING DESTINY. But one should be forewarned that the book is violent in parts, and the sex scenes may be a bit much for some readers.
--- Reviewed by Marie Hashima Lofton (Ratmammy@lofton.org)
 Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.com.
© Copyright 1996-2008, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.
Back to top.
|
