Satisfy My Soul

January 21, 2002
From the author of the Blackboard
bestseller Waiting in Vain
comes this long-awaited second novel, detailing a star-crossed, obsessively erotic odyssey of self-discovery embarked on by the grandson of a Guyanese physician. The guest on a TV travel show being taped in Jamaica, Carey McCullough, a 38-year-old Cambridge-educated New York playwright, meets Frances Carey, owner of a small construction company in Kingston. He recognizes her as the singer he glimpsed on TV five years ago, on the same day he tried to commit suicide at the home of his longtime friend and mentor Kwabena, a charismatic Pentecostal academic. Frances tells McCullough that he is the reincarnation of Karamoko, a mythical hero sold into slavery 500 years ago for eloping with a girl named Feranje—and Frances, of course, is the reincarnation of Feranje. McCullough phones Kwabena, who tells him he knows Frances and warns him that she will ruin his life. Overwhelmed by his sexual attraction to her, McCullough misses his plane and arrives two weeks too late to conduct an interview he had scheduled with Kwabena for the New York Times. This delivers a blow to Kwabena's struggling career and their relationship is severely damaged. As he tries to sort out his feelings for Frances, the playwright finds himself the unwitting pawn in Kwabena's deteriorating marriage. Though at times highly lyrical, this uneven, disjointed tale too often retreats into gratuitous and repetitive exposition, and is further marred by tedious erotic passages. However, by evoking a mystique similar to that of Channer's successful debut, this could be another Blackboard
hit. 6-city author tour.

April 1, 2002
This latest novel by Channer, whose Waiting in Vain was a Blackboard best seller, is a tug-of-war between lust and friendship, love and faith, and ancient African religion and Christianity. New York playwright Carey is a lost soul who is nearing middle age and does not know what he believes in. Thus, he fritters away his youth and talent on a series of self-indulgent affairs and one-night stands. In Jamaica, he meets Frances, a sexually charged free spirit who believes that the two of them are reincarnations of separated African lovers, finally reunited. But Carey's obsession with Frances causes him to betray his best friend, Kwabena, with tragic and violent consequences. Channer's attempt at spiritual romance misses the mark, as one man's soul-searching journey is lost amid empty sexual fantasy. The women characters and their dialog are especially unbelievable, and the novel's ending is confusing and disappointing. For large public libraries only. Ellen Flexman, Indianapolis-Marion Cty. P.L., IN

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2001
Carey McCullough, the young, complex playwright of biracial and interfaith parents, finally meets his intellectual, emotional, and passionate equal when he encounters Frances Carey. These two discover that not only do they have similar names but also a history that is steeped in African tradition and ancient mysteries. Frances believes that Carey is the reincarnation of the mythical Hora character Karamoko, who was sold into slavery for eloping with a girl, Feranje. Frances is sure that she is Feranje and that they are fulfilling destiny by finding one another--again. Carey is convinced that during his suicide attempt, seeing Frances on television saved him. Frances and Carey meet and their one-night stand develops into an intense love affair that affects them deeply. Frances challenges Carey in ways that are both disturbing and satisfying. His struggles with spiritual convictions, love for this woman, rejection by his father, and haunting conflict with his friend leave him questioning himself and seeking peace of mind. After many weeks of seclusion and soul searching, Carey is finally satisfied--as is the reader.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)