From the 2002 Archieves

Based on a friend’s recommendation, I decided to give Finding Makeba by Alex Pate a chance. What an impressive and remarkable novel.

Can you imagine a situation where you haven’t seen your father since your childhood, but yet he’s written a story about his life with you and your mother for the entire world to see?

Childhood is supposed to be filled with everything nice, sugar and spice, two parents and a secure, loving environment. Even though Makeba’s parents argued often, Makeba never imagined that she would be the product of a broken home. Ben Crestfield wanted to write; writing was his first love. His wife, Helen, wanted him to have a job which offered security, benefits and a steady paycheck. When Helen’s love starts to become overbearing, Ben decides that he must escape so in the middle of the night he kisses Makeba and says good-bye. While Ben said he was leaving his wife, he promised Makeba that he wasn’t leaving her and that he would always be there for her. A promise that he would find impossible to keep.

Crestfield vowed that he wouldn’t be another AA male statistic…you know father who leaves home never to return to check up on his children or see that they’re surviving physically, emotionally or financially…you know those deadbeat dads that leave mothers to become single parents and children in broken homes. So what happen to make everything go so wrong?

Fast-forward a decade later, Makeba is a young lady and Ben is a published writer. Imagine Ben’s surprise when he’s at a booksigning promoting his book and he looks up to see a young lady asking him to “sign it for Makeba Crestfield”. Suddenly and without warning, Ben is forced to confront his past when he comes face-to-face with the daughter he abandoned so many years before.

Finding Makeba is a remarkable novel about father-daughter relationships, fatherhood, forgiveness and redemption. Pate expertly weaves the story of Ben and Makeba as he alternates chapters with Ben’s story and excerpts from Makeba’s journal. Finding Makeba is a creatively crafted story about a familiar topic told in a refreshing and engrossing manner. I like that Finding Makeba was told with emotional honestly and that the father was presented in a positive light. Ben Crestfield really wanted to do right by his daughter because even though he no longer wanted to be married to his wife he still cared deeply for his daughter and due to circumstances beyond his control he was forced to abandon her. I really enjoyed Pate’s writing style, tone and point of view and I look forward to reading other novels from this talented author.

Reviewed by Yasmin

APOOO BookClub

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