Seeking Forgiveness
Lea Rachel
Writer’s Design (2022)
ISBN: 978-0990861621
Reviewed by Rachel Dehning for Reader Views (11/2022)
“Seeking Forgiveness” is the journey and coming-of-age of one woman’s only wish- to become a mother, no matter the cost. Rachel Zames finds this obtainable after checking off the boxes of meeting the man of her dreams, albeit later in life, and having the breathing room to settle down. Marrying later in life comes with its potential problems, one being the struggle to conceive; being a problem-solver, she’ll figure this out. When a child becomes available to adopt, Rachel jumps at the opportunity to be the mother she has dreamed of – the skin and ethnicity of the child shouldn’t matter, right?
Flash forward sixteen years and Rachel has received a call from Miles, her Black child, that he’s in jail. How can this be?! Rachel knows her son and has been an integral part of her life all of these years, so there’s no way they have the right person, right? While sitting in the waiting room, waiting as patiently as a mother can, she relives moments of his innocence while bringing him home for the first time and the pure, innocent love Miles displayed toward her in his younger years, but also the tough moments when she, as the “white” mom, had to both teach him about and shield him from society’s views on interracial relationships, while learning more about it herself and discovering how much she can handle before it becomes too much for her and causes any doubts in her mind.
“Seeking Forgiveness” showcases the accurate distance that a good mother will/would go for their child, no matter the circumstances. Hints of the movie “The Blind Side” comes across in the story with the similarities of white women taking on the role of mother for a black boy, with the same love and respect for this child being evident as it would for any other child.
While the topic of interracial relationships is not relatable to this reader, the story overall, reactions, and emotions from the mother are very relatable as a fellow mother; the quality and quantity of her life that she devotes to her son should be relatable to all mothers in existence. Interracial relationships and racism are the overarching themes, but later in the story, you learn of another big and deep theme that could potentially be a trigger for readers but makes sense with the story.
“Seeking Forgiveness” showcases the evils and negativity lurking both in corners and plain sight around us, but also the positive people who choose to fight against evil for the sake of justice and morality. A thought-provoking and emotionally gripping 5-star read.
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