The Chocolate Messiah

 

The Chocolate Messiah

Novel reviewed by H. Ajana in July 2008

Edward Wayne, a ˝harsh and thankless man˝ of ˝selfish, mean spirited disposition˝ disrupts the lives of the River Falls community when he comes to the small New England town to claim a piece of land he won in a lawsuit.

Suffering through a humiliating bankruptcy Wayne, a self-made man of Manhattan, is in no mood to placate the constituents at the school where he takes his place as principal or with the residents of the town who gather daily at the cafe to discuss his unsettling behavior.

To divulge any more of the plot would be to deprive the reader of the many joys hidden in Arthur Davis’ The Chocolate Messiah, an intricate yet elegant novel that is a clever mix of mystery and character study (think Citizen Kane), with just a touch of romance.

Davis gently unfolds the plot as he introduces the reader to important figures in Wayne’s life and to the decent members of River Falls, young and old alike. With the pieces set in place, the author then unfurls like a blanket a series of surprising and tender events that lead the characters to a final dramatic moment reminiscent of the Great Gatsby, bringing a web of relationships into focus.

Sensitive readers will enjoy Davis’ poignancy and attention to detail. Whether he’s describing a catcher’s mitt that a young boy opens and closes like a clam, a lonely woman whose fantasy-filled days always end in a night of walls, or students happy to be free of teachers who˝ wait for answers they couldnˇt produce themselves.˝

Davis’ descriptions lace a compelling plot with insight and humanity.

Lovers of literature will appreciate the originality of the writing and the care with which each story line is resolved. They will also recognize the love poured into the creation of the book’s lifelike characters.