salonmarocain

“The Life and Thoughts of Shaun Pascal” is a story about self discovery and finding one’s place in the world. The story is narrated by the title character and examines the life of an African-American male in his early to mid-twenties trying to figure out the basics of being an adult. Written as a character study, the author N.S. Ugezene has created a story unique amongst other urban tales. The premises of the story is that Shaun Pascal, also known as KP, is a twenty-something young African-American man that is in and out of school as well as work, has recently moved back in with his mother and step-father, and is desperately looking for acceptance and love. He has a dream of becoming a rapper, but can not focus on that goal because he allows his mind to wonder on every possible detail of life. The majority of the book is spent with Pascal questioning the motives of females and friends, as well as describing every day activities around his neighborhood in the city of Pomona, California, in which he resides. Written in first person style, we are given an intimate look into the mindset of the lead character. He is depressed about his current state of living, and is constantly looking for something to make his life better. That arrives in the female character of Nadalina McGastry whose entrance into the story gives Pascal some hope about his future. The story is about love and accepting that emotion. “The Life and Thoughts of Shaun Pascal” is not without its faults. It is almost as if its originality is what makes it a difficult read. The story is told in a stream-of-consciousness manner, with characters and subject matter discussed and discarded in what seems to have no point to the forward movement of the story. This concept can work if there is intention behind it; but without a purpose, much of what you learn in the story leads to no where. The thoughts of Pascal can be described like separate essays, where he begins with a thesis, defines issues, and many times gives solutions; but without any real pay off for the story. Where this novel does succeed is in capturing the thoughts of person with his age, gender, and economic situation. It was refreshing to read about an African-American male who is complex, intelligent, and confused. Shaun Pascal will remind you of someone you know; a person who is creative and smart, but unsure of what direction to go in. The story does not try and judge Pascal or those around him. What it does do is give an open window into their lives. Ugezene’s novel is a good attempt in taking urban fiction in a new direction. Structurally though, the novel does need some help; therefore, I will give the book 3 ½ stars out of 5. It is something readers can enjoy, but they will need to take their time reading to really grasp it. Reviewed By: Jason Luntz

2022-11-14 16:59