The book is alright. Not as good as Out of Africa. The beauty of the continent deserves a more descriptive tone than what’s given here. The German attitude of the author comes through clearly. The writing is very matter of fact, actions-based, and non-descriptive. Essentially the opposite of a book like ‘Out of Africa’.
But still, it is an interesting story of two cultures attempting to coexist. The storyline is eventful, which keeps it ticking over. However, I often found myself getting annoyed at the author for putting up with some of the behaviour that she did. She became ill frequently because of Lketinga’s refusal or simple inability to use modern medicine to help her. He would always get jealous and accuse her of things she had not done. It drove him wild which in itself intimidated Corrine. Anybody in their right mind would simply leave. But she didn’t.
It is also impressive how much she managed to get done in a short period. When reading the book I got the impression this was happening over the course of decades, only to be reminded the entire book spans three years of her life.