One Shining Soul

Amidst the Los Angeles Riots, which threatened the lives of many black people, a family is blessed with the birth of a lovely girl. Joseph did everything he could to protect his family during those times, and after his daughter’s birth, he sensed a mysterious presence lurking in the shadows. Joseph recognized the kid was different, and an occurrence when she was six verified her giftedness.

Olisa had a unique knack for healing people, and her parents were concerned about what would happen if the world found out about their daughter’s gift. Eventually, the world learned about Olisa’s healing abilities after publicly healing a victim after a tragedy on July 4th. The incident was filled with mixed reactions; some referred to her as a witch.

Olisa quickly becomes a source of hope for many as she teaches love, faith, and humanity. Through her brother Noel, she earned widespread fame by attending interviews and even launching her own company, OLISA Inc. Her concerts draw enormous crowds, and there are healing and worship sessions. Despite the adoration she garnered from the people, some remained doubtful of her abilities. Others felt she was challenging their religion and were uncomfortable with it.

It didn’t help that she was black; some found it disturbing that a simple black lady could be referred to as God. She received a lot of hostility and hatred from another religious leader who constantly plotted against her. Soon, Joseph starts to reconsider whether he made the right choice by exposing his daughter to the world.

The book examines how people frequently have misguided priorities. They were more interested in worshipping Olisa than in her preachings and guidance. She and her family also faced racism, and it was heartbreaking to witness how her life was threatened simply because of her skin color. Being called a witch demonstrates how people frequently assign incorrect labels to phenomena they do not understand.

Olisa is an intriguing character; she prioritizes others above herself and has a great mind. I also identify with Noel, her brother’s character, who felt abandoned as a child because his parents’ attention was focused solely on his sister. I could resonate with his struggle of always trying to prove himself.

This is an interesting book that touches on themes of racial discrimination, family, faith, and sacrifice. I loved everything from the character development to the plot and themes. I would recommend One Shining Soul by Wayne L. Wilson to readers of fantasy fiction novels.