You may want to take in a very deep breath. . . Every page is a heartbeat; some chapters are fast paced, highly pulsating, and palpitating. Tachycardia, Dr Jeff, the experienced head of cardio, will likely diagnose you or relaxing and easy but not mortally slow (bradycardia another heart disease of the ventricles). From the moment you take a breath in - the prologue, where the unknown passenger, representing the unknown millions who die annually, suddenly dies of asystole on the back of a commercial motorcycle. To the part when you breathe out (epilogue), hearts asylum is clearly a book that will change your heart and the way you see it. The novel explores the dilemma, challenges, and the hope of Nigerians living, suffering, and dying from cardiovascular disease and heart failures etc. Bayo and his wife Helen in the UK, Mr. and Mrs. James from Asaba, Terah Braide from Jos and Edna are the main surgical cases representing the four chambers of the heart. The book brings to life such expressions as 'eat your heart out', 'you stole my heart', etc. In quick succession likened to the quick and sudden death strike of cardiac arrest, first James collapses and is taken to a Federal medical center in Asaba, that day begins his six-month search and wait for help and a heart transplant. To show that CVD does not only affect Nigerians living in Nigeria. Helen who puts to bed a set of twins in the UK is diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy a week after delivery and needs a heart transplant - which is easier and with more donors over there - but there is just one problem, she is not eligible, her visa has expired. She dies seven days later. The novel connects all this with the help of social media, Dr Jeff is quick to read and follow this on health blogspots and twitter; he is the head of cardio and a specialist in heart transplants although to him the exercise is nothing more than transferring a battery from one instrument to another. The heart to him is just a pump and it is his job to repair or replace it. Dr Jeff is best described as having a heart of stone or as Dr Jane mentions, "... he is so heartless'. Dr Jane is the intern fresh from her medical program at the University of Ibadan. She becomes friends with Terah, a patient under her watch. Together they forge a close bond of companionship. Terah speaks - or rather, writes - of this in his journal or sick diary, it is through his ramblings and disjointed pieces that we gain insight into the lighter and funny sides of life, the hospital and his love for Dr Jane. James is admitted into Well Brook bringing the waiting list to double figures and yet there are no heart donors, the last heart transplant was performed thirteen months ago and know one can remember the one before that one. Dr Jeff complains about this to the chief of surgery Dr Reiss. At this point, the novel seeks to address the question of donor shortage in Nigeria through a cultural/belief viewpoint. Dr Jeff is a Nigerian raised and naturalized in the US but returns to Nigeria for reasons best known to him (nightmares of the past plague his dreams and fear, he lost a lover to the cold hands of death, stood and listened as she breathed her last, she died from heart complications during surgery). Dr Jeff falls in love with Edna, she has a near end stage heart failure, and Dr Jeff somehow schemes to put her up first for a heart transplant.
About the Author: Ikenna Edward Dike is a young creative mind coming out of Nigeria. An author, writer and creative director; he is driven by his passion for the creative arts and to see the younger generation self discover themselves A multi-talented person, he spends his time writing, reading or volunteering in one or more youthful/useful activity. He loves drawing, sketching, writing articles and plays and reading books. A member of many associations, including the association of Nigerian authors, christian authors association of Nigeria, council for relevant art CORA, African missions youth wing etc. He also attends dozens of literary events across Lagos and other states such as the Lagos book and arts festival, the Nigerian International book festival; and the creative industry expo organized by the British Council. He strongly believes that who you are is a gift from God, but what you become is your gift to God. He studied at the Federal University of Technology Owerri. After which he worked as the media enterprise officer at Sum Communications Lagos and as a features writer and editorial assistant to a couple of youth based magazines and publications. He has a diploma in theology from the Redeemed Christian Bible College and is presently pursuing a degree in English at the National Open University of Nigeria. He lives in Lagos Nigeria.