Quina Aragon Feels Unqualified but Compelled.

In 'The Great Divorce', C.S. Lewis presents an allegorical narrative where souls from a gray, dreary town (representing hell) are given the opportunity to visit heaven. The story follows the narrator and various ghosts as they encounter spirits in heaven, engaging in dialogues that reveal the nature of their choices and the reasons they remain in hell. The book emphasizes that hell is a self-imposed state, and individuals choose to remain there due to their inability to let go of their earthly attachments and sins. Through these encounters, Lewis explores themes of redemption, the afterlife, and the importance of spiritual choices, underscoring that true joy and salvation are available to those who seek them sincerely.

Transcendent Kingdom is a novel that delves into the life of Gifty, a sixth-year PhD student in neuroscience at Stanford. Raised in a deeply religious Ghanaian immigrant family, Gifty is studying the neural mechanisms of depression and addiction, issues that have profoundly affected her family. Her brother Nana died from a heroin overdose, and her mother has been bedridden with grief and depression since his death. The novel explores Gifty's struggles with her faith, her scientific research, and her efforts to understand and cope with the trauma her family has endured. It is a powerful exploration of faith, science, the African immigrant experience, family dynamics, addiction, and depression.