No Such Thing As Halfway
âWhen I get older, I will be stronger, they'll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flagâ - Keinan Warsame
The quoted lyrics above should take you back to 2010 when the FIFA world cup was held in South Africa. Coca-Cola had picked the song, âWavinâ Flagâ by Somali-Canadian, Keinan Warsame, better known as Kânaan, to be the official song of the tournament. By the time I got to chapter four of âNo Such Thing As Halfway,â written by Achu Ebong Mba, aka RifleX, I was not thinking about that song anymore. My mind was fixated on the song, âBang Bangâ by the same Somali artist. The line, âam I wrong? But what is love without the pain to go along?â particularly kept replaying in my head.
No Such Thing As Halfway, the debut novel of Achu âRifleXâ Ebong Mba was released on May 5th, 2020. This was also RifleXâs birthday. Ideally, we give gifts to people on their birthdays, but he decided to bless us with a novel. When I received my book in the mail, I was very excited. I opened the package and was quick to notice the cover art. Itâs one of those that just catches your attention. The cover art alone wouldâve prompted me to buy the book. The book was published by Stuck In The Middle, which is a platform for individuals from different corners of the globe to share experiences, stories, advice, etc. RifleX is a co-host on this platform.
Today youâre here and tomorrow youâre there. The best part, however, is whatâs in the middle. I read the book in 3 hours, but over two days. It was 9 chapters long and at the end of each chapter, I found myself on the edge; almost like a cliffhanger and I couldnât wait to flip to the next chapter. From the book title, you could tell the story is about a relationship, but what kind? The cover also features two individuals. A male and a female backing each other. Is that a hint of some sort or perhaps just another generic picture? Letâs read.
The two people on the cover are Yonas and Demi. Two individuals who find themselves in a battle between the past, present, and future. Actually, itâs a battle that goes much deeper in a sense that, you find yourself trying to fix something that is beyond your control. Would you hire an accountant to come build a deck in your backyard? No.
Itâs difficult to write about Yonas and Demi without giving away the plot, but No Such Thing As Halfway touches on a very important topic that has plagued a lot of people over many generations. I remember asking RifleX what pushed him to write the book and he said, âI felt strongly that there are a lot of individuals and couples who would relate to the story. The issue on demand that the book speaks on, tribalism, romance, and family drama, is not one widely spoken and I really just wanted to add my voice to the conversation and felt the book was the best medium to reach the demographic and target audience.â He has a point.
We live in a world where society tends to dictate a lot of what we can do, and we cannot do it. Unfortunately, some of these things that we can or cannot do have been passed down from generations and even though the world is changing, some of these things that we are accustomed to arenât changing with the times. Thus, we find ourselves in a battle of trying to educate people in the hopes that they will realize that some of these customs and norms that they so dearly hold on to are doing more harm than good.
The story of Yonas and Demi is like throwing water into the ocean. Itâs one of many. How it ends is for you to find out, but I highly recommend it. Whether youâre single, dating, or married with kids, youâll definitely find something in this book to relate to. On a personal level, itâs like I wrote the damn book. Some of the chapters triggered memories of my life. While reading the book, I found myself creating scenes in my head and being part of the plot. Thatâs how good the language and writing style is. The book is less than 100 pages and even if you don't like to read, from the moment you pick this book up you wouldn't put it back down until you finish. It is that good.
No Such Thing As Halfway is a book for everyone. I say this because the topics in the book are real-life scenarios that everyone is going to eventually go through and your story might not end up like Yonas and Demi, but after reading this book you would have a better understanding on how to handle or be better prepared for when that time does come.
RifleX plans to release his next book in 2022, so be on the lookout. He says, âitâll be a collection of essays and short stories.â
Until thenâŠ. We wait.
Book review by, Belner Bolima
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