By Chukwuma Ajakah

In this seminal literary piece, The Price of Passion, Ojie Kelvin Chukwuka presents the pathetic story of a young lady who falls victim to the deceitful antics of a serial murderer.
Set in the fictive town of Rosewood, The Price of Passion gives the reader the impression that it is a tale of sizzling romantic love.
The plot unfolds which revolves around Natalie reveals that a genuine lover might end up as a victim of an abusive relationship. The protagonist love-life is fraught with tragic occurrences that make her doubt the existence of true love.
The story begins with the account of Natalie’s encounter with Alexander as she recuperates from an emotional trauma. The new man she mistakes for a comforter turns out to be so obsessively infatuated with her that he murders her neighbour, Mrs. Jenkins in cold blood.
In the ensuing trial, the narrator says of the protagonist’s testimony before the jury: “She spoke about the early days of their relationship when Alexander had seemed like a prince charming, and then about the descent into obsession and violence.”
Published in 2020, the fifty-one-page novella contains 10 chapters that succinctly depict Natalie as a symbol of a traumatized life.
Using the third person narrative technique, the author unveils how the heroine goes through series of excruciating pathetic experiences, following Alexander’ conviction for the gruesome murder. Natalie later falls in love with Jake and tries to rebuild her shattered life.
She also becomes an advocate of justice, leveraging on her experience to counsel and provide succour to victims of violence.
However, she is haunted by the fear that Alexander might show up again. Just when “She thought she had put it all behind her, she received the news that Alexander was being released from prison on parole.”
Natalie’s effort to “overcome a difficult past and build a better future for herself” is shattered as Alexander’s insistence on having on having her back results in another murder.
The author portrays the heroine as a tragic hero whose naivety and other tragic flaws, to a large extent, account for the sad experiences.
The storyline anchors on the tragedies of a protagonist entrapped in a circle of doom as Natalie constantly struggles to wriggle free of unending near-death experiences.
The author takes the reader on a suspense-filled journey, especially in chapters that unveil Natalie’s fights for freedom.
The novella has a simple plot structure with a few characters featured in ten short chapters.
However, the author needs to realign Chapter Six and Ten to enhance cohesion. Natalie’s death in Chapter Six and reappearance in subsequent chapters appear incongruous.
The author particularly has to justify the inclusion of the following paragraph: “Natalie was horrified and tried to run, but Alexander caught and stabbed her multiple times. She died at the scene and Alexander was arrested and charged with her murder…”
The thematic concerns explored in The Price of Passion include crime, gender-based violence and vengeance. The novella is spiced with intrigues, suspense and simplicity of language. These features enhance its appeal to readers.
However, the reader may have difficulty in comprehending sudden occurrences like appearance of “Mr. Madison” in Chapter Ten as there is no prior reference to that name before the reader encounters: “The news of Madison’s arrest and the truth about the murders sent shockwaves throughout the city. People were stunned to learn that the successful businessman they had admired was capable of such atrocities.”
The following excerpt suggests conflict resolution:
“Natalie had finally found the peace and happiness she had once thought was impossible…she had triumphed over the darkness and had found love.” However, the story takes another twist with another tragedy recurring in the next chapter.
As all his entreaties for reconciliation fails, the antagonist returns to Natalie on a revenge mission.
In addition to its rich didactic content, The Price of Passion will make a good read for leisure and advocacy campaigns.