by Cheryl Batavia

The Twisted Circle, by Rosaliene Bacchus (Book Review)

Amazon Review

by Cheryl Batavia

A Window on a Fascinating Time & Place/

Timeless Insights into Human Nature & Relationships

Author, Rosaliene Bacchus was a young, idealistic Guyanese nun for seven years during the tumultuous 1970s and early 1980s in Guyana. Her novel, The Twisted Circle, provides vivid insights into the politics and corruption of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Guyanese government of that period. Nuns and priests are portrayed as human beings with human desires, ambitions, and flaws.

The protagonist, Barbara, a young Black Guyanese nun, suffers sexual harassment from both priests and political figures. Her antagonist, Francis, a racist White American nun who is in love with a priest, considers herself superior to Barbara. She jealously attacks Barbara, publicly accusing her of flirting with men. Francis also feels that she deserves a promotion received by Barbara and tries to sabotage Barbara by any devious means possible. The inclusion of numerous excerpts from Francis’s diary enhances the story of the conflict between these two characters.

Several students in the school, where Barbara and Francis are teachers, suffer sexual assaults from priests. One young boy becomes an angry troublemaker. A promising young girl, attacked by a priest, is forced to quit school because of her pregnancy. A talented and charismatic gay student is found dead shortly before his high school graduation.

Rosaliene Bacchus also provides background about Guyana’s colonial past and how it continues to create problems for the newly independent nation. Conflicts exist among the Black citizens who came as slaves, Indians who came as indentured servants, three native American tribes, and assorted Europeans. There are also numerous people of mixed races.

At the time when the story takes place, many families in rural areas live in squalid housing, without enough to eat, without adequate medical care, and with limited educational opportunities. The Church steps in to help. Teachers, despite limited resources, do their best to help their students. Many nuns and priests, though probably initially well-intentioned, are at the mercy of their human desires and ambitions.

The Twisted Circle is a window on a fascinating time and place. It provides timeless insights into human nature and relationships.

*I read The Twisted Circle yesterday, all in one day. It would have been hard to put down!

Rosaliene Bacchus blogs at <rosalienebacchus@yahoo.com>

59 Comments

  5. Unknown's avatar

    Great review! I also found The Twisted Circle to be “a window on a fascinating time and place.” The setting was very different from what I’ve known, but the insights and experiences were still relatable. Rosaliene had and has a lot of courage.

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  8. Unknown's avatar

    A wonderful review, Cheryl! The novel tackles serious social issues, which makes it all the more compelling. It would be interesting to read how Rosaliene has woven these themes into the narrative. Congratulations to both of you!🙏💐🌹

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