Title: A Thorny Path to Destiny: Land Mines in My Path to Destiny
Author: Mirriam B.C. Kabila
Publisher: AuthorHouseUK
ISBN: 978-1-5246-3473-5
Pages: 272
Genre: Fiction, Inspirational
Reviewed by: Suzanne Gattis
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Pacific Book Review
Mirriam B.C. Kabila’s A Thorny Path to Destiny: Land Mines in My Path to Destiny is not just a story of faith, courage and perseverance but also a great introduction of Western readers to life in Africa. The story follows Pretty, who has a series of unfortunate events one right after the other, on her journey to fulfill her destiny and long time dream of being a doctor, despite all of her hardships. This feel-good story is a tale of love and loss, of disappointment and triumph, and of the good and evil in the world.
Pretty, who I found to be overwhelming shy and naive, knows what she wants out of life and is determined to get it. But things have never been easy for her. Raised as an orphan in poverty, she has to work extra hard to achieve what many of us take for granted. She endures the loss of her dignity, through a school event that was of no- fault her own, and the loss of many loved ones along the way. She is an inspiration to those around her and a solid example of faith in the Lord. Perhaps because I found her so shy and hard to get to know, I felt like the book would have benefited from the main character being a little more complex. I wanted to see the many sides of Pretty, while at times the author did give readers a few glimpses of her.
I truly enjoyed being introduced through the story to the customs and the way of life in Zambia. I find other cultures interesting and I believe this book exposes readers to another world. The author is honest about the hardships and discriminations that can be found there, but she also made it sound beautiful and intriguing. I was particularly amused when her white, American fiancé visited her village for their wedding; he probably felt as though he was waking up in Wonderland but handled it with grace and charm.
I found the numerous mentions of faith to be a bit repetitive. I believe the way that Pretty lived her life could account for her beliefs, without the need for restating them repeatedly throughout the story. However, this story does achieve its goal of giving readers hope and will motivate you to persevere to the end. If you are looking for a book to motivate and inspire, A Thorny Path to Destiny: Land Mines in My Path to Destiny is a good choice.
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