Yinka Olatunbosun
The crime fiction, Flaming Ice is anchored on a typical slow-burn story, with pulsating suspense and romance that keep the reader curious till the last page. Set in Onyx, a fictional African country where a form of Aristocracy is being practised, the author Oluseyi Fagbuyiro with the pen name Oluseyi Albert prepares a low-heat romance between Ava Woods and Lord Clay Aster, who would look later develop friendship across front lines. A powerful tale of courage and leadership, the conflict in Onyx rests in power dynamic, lingering classicism and romantic rivalry which collectively unfold through a series of isolated yet related incidents.
Clay, also known as Lord Aster, is an aristocrat serving with the Upper arm of the parliament. His encounter with the brown-skinned structural engineer, Ava solidifies his perspective on how building projects can be used to erase existing structures of class and biases in Onyx. Clay belongs to the class of forward-thinking nobles called the New Order that want to create equity in a country where everyone is made to feel seen, valued and respected. His character speaks strongly to modern-day leadership rooted in humanity. The author, on her part, positions Flaming Ice within the framework of UN Sustainable Development goals with its thematic engagement with leadership, sustainability, inequality, inclusion and social justice in the suspenseful storytelling.
In Flaming Ice exists a multi-layered conflict reinforced by crime, misplaced passion and class war. Flora’s vicious attack on Ava over Clay echoes the earlier sentiment of some associates of Ava who had warned her of any romantic ties with Clay. The latter’s display of resilience in love shows in his introspection as well as determination to work through a series of allegations against Ava and her mother in the wake of a sudden disappearance of Ava’s construction team members.
Suspense is meticulously situated on a framework of frightening incidents: An unknown caller. Cryptic Messages. Missing Individuals. Threats. The author allows the dialogue to fully develop as the detectives solve the puzzle behind the abduction of construction workers.
In delivering a storytelling that spotlights worsening ecological degradation, poverty, oppression and discrimination, the author tilts the mirror to reflect the verisimilitude of the characterisations as well as the scenarios. The media hounding of Ava will resonate with the readers in various parts of the world where public opinion is shaped by the powerful. Nudged by the desire to change lives for the better, Ava and Clay form an alliance that runs deeper than shared civic duty- a love for humanity. In the midst of the chaos, the author creates a juxtaposition between Clay’s masculine show of strength and Ava’s impermeable mask of vulnerability to create a yearning in the reader for a fairytale ending.
In an almost cinematic pace, Albert unfurls the plot using quick-witted dialogue with occasional use of African languages such as Hausa and Swahili. Language becomes Albert’s double-edged tool of character delineation showing the cultural difference between Clay and Ava while leveling the intellectual strengths of both characters.
Albert is mindful of reinforcing femininity through Ava. Instead of hypersexualising her as most romance novelists do, the writer breaks down the complexity of her professional life in simple, understandable English and dialogue laden with a running stream of sarcasm and swift clap backs.
Through the character of Clay, the author recreates the dignity in modern dating culture in a largely non-conforming world. Most conservatives still approach romantic relationships within the work dynamics with much…