A Mighty Love.by Anita Doreen Diggs Anita Doreen Diggs (b. 1966) is an editor, novelist, and lecturer. Diggs grew up in New York City where she attended public schools in the Hells Kitchen section of Manhattan. Dafina Books, February 2003 $24.00, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0-758-20231-8 Anita Doreen Diggs, coauthor of the Blackboard best-selling book Staying Married: A Guide for African Americans African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. and former senior editor and director of One World/Ballantine Books, has delivered a poignant tale of love and despair in her first novel, A Mighty Love. Mel and Adrienne Jordan share a blissfully happy marriage. But when tragedy strikes, they find themselves grappling with old habits and demons Demons See also devil; evil; ghosts; hell; spirits and spiritualism. ademonist one who denies the existence of the devil or demons. bogyism, bogeyism recognition of the existence of demons and goblins. , spiraling into an abyss. Mel is a bus driver with little vision for his future. Adrienne is a secretary with a keen desire to progress on the corporate fast track. Their lives are devastated dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. by a heartbreaking heart·break·ing adj. 1. Causing overwhelming grief or distress. 2. Producing a strong emotional reaction: heartbreaking loveliness. tragedy when a fire destroys their home. Mel blames himself and grief sends him running back to the hood where his sister and her friends provide more than sufficient distraction from the reality of his disintegrating marriage. In short order, he's back to womanizing wom·an·ize v. woman·ized, woman·iz·ing, woman·iz·es v.intr. To pursue women lecherously. v.tr. To give female characteristics to; feminize. and now indulging in the drugs that threaten to destroy him and his marriage. A handsome, rich and powerful friend from Adrienne's past resurfaces, and she is tempted by an opportunity to get more out of life--minus Mel. As Mel and Adrienne descend into their grief, the chasm between them threatens to swallow everything they had built together. Like many couples, Mel and Adrienne took their love for granted, finding that lost love will be a challenge greater than any other loss they've ever suffered. At the novel's conclusion, the reader is left with plenty of questions, but nothing near closure (which may be intentional fodder for a sequel). The love that remains is apparent, but Diggs doesn't put a pretty bow on the myriad of unresolved issues that existed prior to their marriage, as well as those compounded by their shared tragedy. Diggs reminds us just how critical honesty is in relationships, and that in our grief, we can push away the very ones we need to recover from the loss. --Robin Green-Cary is a co-owner of Sibanye, Inc. in Baltimore and a freelance writer. |
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