PUBLICATION DETAILS

TITLE: Season of Crimson Blossoms

AUTHOR: Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

CATEGORY: Fiction

PUBLISHER: Cassava Republic

DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2016

NUMBER PAGES: 278

ISBN: 998-1-91115-00-7

TEXT EXPOSITION

Season of Crimson Blossoms is a tragic novel that revolves around the city of Abuja while recounting past events which took place in Jos. The writer brings to limelight different family, social and political issues. Examples are portrayed in Reza - a street Lord who doesn’t believe in the value of education because of his educated brother who he sees as worthless due to his inability to assist in bettering his father’s health when he fell ill, Hajiya Binta - a widow who was forced into a loveless marriage which she was totally clueless on how to handle the marital and family issues, now taunted with his son’s loss and ignoring sexual desires which were awakened after a miscreant broke into her home, Hureira - Hajiya Binta’s daughter who has been once divorced and though remarried, is currently struggling to keep her home together and sadly, her mother cannot help her because she’s dealing with her issues as well. Fai’za - Hajiya’ Binta’s teenage niece. Tormented by locked up events of her brother’s death is now traumatized because she can’t even remember what he looked like. She writes every time in her secret book probably because the one mother figure she had was busy having an illicit affair with a boy who’s young enough to be his son. Senator Buba Maikudi, a shitty politician whom Reza is totally loyal to. Pays people to carry out shitty deals for him and claims that all he does is for the younger generation’s good.

The novel explores themes such as betrayal, desire, regrets, political corruption, marital crisis, trauma, amongst others.

Betrayal
This theme is portrayed in Reza’s relationship with Senator Buba Maikudi. Reza carried out a lot of his bad deals but he arranged for him to be killed to avoid his secret going out. Reza even asked for his help and he pretended he was helping him but led him to his grave.

Desire
Hajiya Binta has been sexually starved for a decade and when Reza broke into his house to steal, the bodily contact with him while he held her captive awakened feelings she thought must have been dead and buried with her late husband. This desire bloomed into a full forbidden affair, one that cost her both her reputation and her son.

Regrets
Hajiya Binta regretted her affair with Reza. If she knew it would cost her her dear son’s life she most likely would have fought against her raging emotions.
Reza regretted Munkaila’s death. He didn’t mean to kill him. He only hit him because he was being chased and wanted to get away.

Political corruption
The senator paid Reza to kidnap an opponent’s son in order to distract his opponent and enable him win the seat in his political party. He also paid officer Dauda Baleri to take out Reza.

Marital crisis
Hureira - Hajiya’s daughter who is already once divorced struggles to keep her second marriage in one piece. She moves into her mother’s house and despite all of her mother’s warnings that she should return to her husband’s house and make her marriage work, she refuses. She returns only after her husband informs that he’ll be taking a new wife. This doesn’t sit well with Hureira so she travels back to her husband and threatens to poison herself.

Trauma
Fai’za is traumatized by her brother’s death that took place two years ago. Unable to talk to anyone about it, she tries to always scribble her thoughts and feelings in her secret book. She tries to draw her brother’s face but realizes that she can’t really remember exactly what he looked like and this makes her feel much worse.

TEXT EVALUATION/CRITIQUE

The plot of the novel is creatively detailed, leaving the readers hooked from the first chapter till the end. The suspense is top notch. The writer had a way of beginning paragraphs with after events before coming back to spill the real tea. Like in the case of the first fornication act between Hajiya Binta and Reza, there was a hint that something of that nature happened but no direct speech. It wasn’t until later that the writer recounted how the event took place.

The writer's ability to switch between the past and present is quite commendable too. Despite the swirls, I wasn't confused at any point.

The writer’s writing style is so unique too. He began every chapter with a proverb that best summarized the chapter without giving anything away concerning what the chapter entailed.

The only thing I may criticize is his diction. A lay man needs a dictionary on standby inorder to comprehend some of the writer's words.

This is one of the most amazing and interesting literature I’ve read in a long while. I recommend this novel to any lover of literature who is yet to read it. I don't in any way think this book is overhyped, I am of the opinion that it isn't hyped enough. I’m sending flowers to Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, he nailed this writing🌺

About The Author