Title of Book:  Mark of Agony

Author:  Ugochukwu Asiegbu

Publisher:  Sparks Books

Genre:         A novel

Synopsis

The book is about a young man, Saint Moses, who insists on marrying an outcast (Osu) but does not receive his father’s blessing and support nor of the approval of kinsmen.  His insistence on marrying Cynthia the outcast makes his father to place a curse on him.  This makes him experience setbacks in business:  his 40ft container is seized by the Nigerian customs;  the timber business he started also fails; his wife is unable to conceive.  What breaks the camel’s back is their pastor’s insistence that he must gain his father’s forgiveness to enable him take his kinsmen to Cynthia‘s hometown to pay her bride price.  He tried but fails in getting  his father’s forgiveness.  On coming back and seeing that Cynthia is not at home, he commits suicide.

Theme

Theme of Disappointment

Almost all the characters experience disappointment in their various relationships.   St Moses is disappointed in his relationship with Salome, the first girl he wishes to marry.  He is also disappointed  by his parents and kinsmen for not supporting him to marry Cynthia whom he loves.  Mabel, St Moses’ sister, is also disappointed in her relationship with Jonathan as Jonathan did not tell her he is epileptic which is incurable.  Anayo is also disappointed in his relationship with Comfort who calls off their wedding when she finds out that his penis is small.  St Moses father is also disappointed in his children’s choice of spouses.

Theme of Love

The characters’ love for their partners and friends  are tested. Anayo claims to love Comfort  and is ready to marry her, but when Comfort cancels their wedding he could not pull himself together which makes him murder her. Mabel, St Moses sister also claims to love Jonathan but, when she learns that Jonathan was epileptic,  she rejects Jonathan’s marriage proposal. Also, Jonathan who claims to love Mabel arranges criminals to dupe and kill Saint Moses.  St Moses is the only one that waifirm in his love for Cynthia.  He marries Cynthia even when he knows  that she is an outcast.