Sweeping in scope, both historically and geographically, Vassanji weaves
a rich tapestry of vivid characters, real and imagined, in a Kenya
poised between colonialism and independence. between the pull of his
ancestral home in India and the Kenya he loves passionately; between his
tragic past in Africa and an unclear future in Canada; between escape
from political terror and a seemingly inevitable return home ... a
return that may cost him dearly. the rise of the Mau Mau in the last
days of imperialism looms large over a plot centring on two love stories
and a deep friendship. The result is a sumptuous novel that brilliantly
explores the tyranny of history and memory, and questions the
individual's role and responsibility in lawless times.