A Roaring Good Allegory of Life, Relationships, and Africa

Posted on January 16, 2013 Updated on January 16, 2013

Malaika by Van Heerling

4 Stars

I was looking for free books to read and downloaded Van Heerling’s novella “Malaika” on a whim. I’m glad I did. It’s a fast but good read about an American expatriate named Thomas living in Kenya who escapes the West by immersing himself in the culture of the Serengeti and getting in touch with his wild side — in this case, safari wildlife on the African plains. I don’t want to give the fantastic story away beyond mentioning that it revolves around his conflicting relationships with a lion pride and humans. The story is an allegory that links the two in an almost-mystical circle of life. Intrigued or confused? Read the story, and you’ll understand what I mean.

Having lived in Africa and visited the Serengeti, I related personally to the Africa portrayed in the novella. The imagery is good, although it could have been developed further with a more descriptive narrative that paints a fuller picture. At times the story was left wanting. As an American, I also found some of the dialogue too American in style and heavy on the American dream, although neither detracted from the story. In the end, I was left satisfied with an ending that brought the story to closure and left me pondering the deeper meaning proffered by the author.

I give Van Heerling’s “Malaika” 4 stars and recommend it. It’s a fast read that offers a quick and savory taste of Africa.

Malaika is now available at:

Amazon

Goodreads