“Zora and Nicky . . . and you and me.
We can't hush it up, and we all know it. If not overtly admitting to it, we still understand it exists. No matter what part of the country we're from and no matter what part of the world we're from, it shows up. Maybe not like we know it to be, but it's there just the same. The ugly thing is racism. Alive and well all over this world. Why? Because of sin: the curse of our self-serving, independent thinking which is so often corrupted by our upbringing, by our societies and cultures, by our religions, by whatever we allow to stain us with ugly thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Hypocrisy/Racism: one and the same.
Before you read any farther, please review this and let it soak into your heart:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28 (NIV)
Do you believe that?
Claudia Mair Burney, aka the Ragamuffin Diva, has written several novels. She is a "black" American author who is achieving considerable success in the CBA. Zora and Nicky is the first of her books that I've read. It is also the first novel I've read by an African American author. This particular novel is exceptional, and when a writer pens one as powerful as this, I gotta say it'll be hard to top it, although I'm quite sure she's up to the task of equaling it.
Zora, the daughter of a wealthy black hyper-faith preacher, and Nicky, the blond wayward/prodigal son of a white Baptist "established" family, find one another irresistible from the moment they set eyes upon each other at a home prayer meeting containing an unusual bunch of prayer warriors in attendance. Nicky, a recovering lust-o-holic, is smitten with this gorgeous black woman but is having trouble believing it could be anything other than what he's been running from since putting a halt to his lustful adventures after returning home from Berkeley with a degree unrelated to the acceptable pastoral studies. Nicky has been seeing model perfect Christian girl, Rebecca, and his parents practically have them engaged. Zora is dating her parents' accepted choice for her future, Denzel Washington look-alike and her father's imitation, Miles.
Just before meeting each other for the first time, these two 20-somethings walk out on their individual father's sermons, knowing something is wrong with what is happening--or more like what is NOT happening--within the walls of their respective churches. Searching for a real relationship with the God, Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit who is personal to them, they discover through their very brief and confrontational introduction at the prayer meeting, that their lives need a drastic change.
When the independent Zora walks out on a dinner engagement with her parents and Miles, her father repossesses all "his" possessions in her apartment along with her Lexus, leaving her with just the pajamas she's wearing after he arrives with some of the young men from his church to haul every bit of her clothing and furniture away. When Zora turns to the leaders of the avant-garde prayer meeting, they assign Nicky to the task of gathering some basic clothing and supplies for her in this time of need. Zora and Nicky's tumultuous but profound relationship begins at this point.
Claudia Mair Burney, who refers to herself as Mair, put together an astounding story filled with humor, hurt, and "homogenized" religion which became distasteful to these two individuals in different ways. Their individual and unique struggle to find themselves a viable faith which could change their lives plunges them into the unlikely place of falling in love and facing racism head on within themselves and certainly within their parents.
Mair's voice is not subtle. It is in your face, out loud, intense, and lovely, touching, honest, and poetic all at the same time. If you've never really had to face racism from a "civilized" perspective, feast on this story. I guarantee you will learn some things about yourself, about others, and about how the Lord desires to work within each of us regarding the matter of Galatians 3:28. We as a people, and I mean that as a whole: we NEED this book. Yes, it's "just" a novel, but non-fiction couldn't have demonstrated what we all know--and try to shun--as racism more truthfully than this story of two young people who not only come face to face with each other but with hidden things inside themselves they had no idea were there. God has a way of exposing us, does He not?
The cover of this David C. Cook novel is both striking and attractive. I guess if I had to find a fault here it would be in not making the cover guy a blond since Nicky's blondness in the story was contrasted to the deep berry darkness of Zora's skin.
So well done, Mair. A wonderful book I recommend for everyone, male and female--from dating age and way beyond. Mair has a brand new blog where you can find her thoughts: http://claudiamairburneybooks.blogspot.com
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