Emma ends up at a remote mission post near Lake Victoria in Africa together with her husband Tomas and their toddler. For Tomas, a dedicated tropical doctor, it is a childhood dream come true. But for Emma it is the start of a confusing adventure.
In spite of torrential rain, creepy crawlers, the threat of war and life-threatening diseases, Emma manages - more or less. She feels alienated and lonely.
Then she meets Sven, adventurer and wildlife photographer. A whirlwind romance evolves, set in the majestic landscape of Africa of the '70s. Emma is caught up in an impossible love triangle, but their magical bond has a reason.
If you like Out of Africa by Karen Blixen, you will love The Golden Light of Africa.
**
Review
A wonderful page-turner to read at one stretch, on the beach, in the comfort of your own bed or en route to Africa. We're absorbed into the life of Emma, a twenty-something wife and mother - the second child is on the way - who ends up in the interior of Nyerere's Tanzania. While her doctor husband is completely swallowed up by his work, we follow her initially difficult process of coming to terms with life in the tropics. It is a (white) European outlook, but an honest one; Emma didn't want to come here in the first place, but battles on through new challenges such as torrential rains, lack of electricity, and a wide range of 'creepy-crawlies'. She makes contact with other European women in the area, with the stalwart sisters who've been running the mission station there for decades, and with the locals who work for her. The frank and richly sensuous descriptions of landscape and experiences draw you into the young woman's life.
The book is subtitled 'A Love Story'. This probably refers in the first place to Emma's romance, as wonderful as it is impossible, with the wildlife photographer Sven, which forms a recurring motif in the novel. But it could just as easily refer to the story as a whole, which you could also read as a declaration of love to life itself: the stunning beauty of the world and the adventure of throwing yourself into it, as only those in their twenties can. Recommended for everyone who wants to experience that feeling again!
In Gianotten's next book, it would be interesting to become acquainted with the viewpoint of Malaika, Emma's imperturbable local home help. Perhaps an African author will accept this challenge? Klazien Kruisheer