The first half of Walter Mosley’s Ghalen: A Romance in Black (Amistad 2026) is achingly tender. The love story between Ghalen’s mismatched parents is just beautiful; Robert is neurodivergent with a slower, different view of life, and Jamilah, a brilliant med student, falls head over heels with how he sees her. They meet at a farmer’s market during a rain storm, and it’s a beautiful love story. Unfortunately, many people, including Jamilah’s mother, don’t approve of or understand the match. Jamilah is a child genius and Jamilah’s mother (and others) believe Robert is not fully competent. I previously said it reminded me of Forrest Gump, and that comparison is still there. It’s strongest in a particular scene where Robert expresses his concern that “what is wrong with him” would pass to his child.
I should have known not to get too attached to Jamilah and Robert; the book is titled after their son, afterall. But I did, which made the second half harder to swallow. As a head’s up, Ghalen is going to give you heartburn. He’s a child genius, much like his mother, but he also has his father’s way of seeing things and his own unique approach to life. There are some rather interesting choices made, and the novel takes a much grittier turn after Ghalen graduates high school.
The novel deals with the return of grandparents thought dead, police brutality, undocumented immigrants and human trafficking, drugs, youth incarceration, immigrants fleeing civil war, rage, traumatic brain injuries, cancer, mental health – you name it, it’s likely here. But it also deals with found family, hope, love, choices, loyalty, and resilience. I enjoyed the first half significantly more than the second, but this is still a solid read.
A Girl Named Tommi 