Obsessions of Paradise

by Benjamin Kwakye

Obsessions of With a keen focus on the strains of both voluntary and forced relocations, this novel blends the divergent experiences of various nationals into a coherent voice of love. Obsessions of Paradise chronicles the oft dehumanizing odyssey of migrants in search of hope, at the same time as it is a tender story of insecure but compelling love. Ama, a Ghanaian doctor based in the United States, is entangled in an improbable if compelling relationship with the destitute Shem. As their relationship dangles on the tightrope of social stigma, another one that seems surefooted is developing between Maud, a London doctor whose family fled Zimbabwe after persecution over land disputes, and George, a local businessman with international connections who flirts with racial politics. The men embark on fate altering journeys to Libya, one in hope of a better life, the other to promote business interests. In Libya, the doctors will confront each other and their men in ways none of them would have imagined. Faced with a redemptive option in the face of potential calamity, their ultimate choices illustrate what Kwakye labels the ethnicity of our humanity and posits that love can, and must, speak to all.

Paperback

Published May 1, 2019

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of Kwakye's best novels. It is a romance novel that spans two continents and two relationships. Two couples that, upon reaching the end of the novel, become character development pieces for each other. When they meet, they reach the end of their arcs, as each character represents a fault in the other.

Another great aspect of this novel is its main story arc. This novel has, at points, very much the feel of a thriller. It tells a terrifying but horrifyingly realistic tale of oppression in the East. Kwakye's descriptive language places the reader into a world filled with both violence and horror. At the same time, this novel has the feel of an intimate romance novel. A novel that will have you wanting more, and more.

Kwakye masterfully crafts a novel that will have you at the edge of your seat as you ride its twists and turns all the way to the ending.