A Natural Woman

November 2, 2009
Bridget Jones had her diary, and Aliesha Eaton has her hair. These all-natural locks become the medium through which the protagonist Aliesha, in Johnson's second novel, interprets the world. When Aliesha goes looking for a barber who can handle her 'do, she finds Dante, and with him an undeniable spark. Unfortunately, her love life's already a mess: her current boyfriend, Javiel, is inoffensive but bland, and as he pushes for something more permanent, she wonders why she can't feel closer to the nice guy. Then there's her ex, dumped because of his porn watching, who still holds a torch for her. Johnson writes convincingly flawed characters, but Aliesha and her beaus never rise above the banal. Aliesha's only distinguishing feature seems to be the obsession over her hair, which unintentionally borders on the absurd. In the end, the novel leaves an impression reminiscent to Aliesha's relationship with Javiel-there's nothing specifically wrong, it just isn't working out.