Title: Tokolosi
Author: John Skinner
Publisher: XlibrisUK
ISBN: 978-1-5144-9925-2
Pages: 398
Genre: Fiction / Historical
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent
Pacific Book Review
Tokolosi is the story about an African man torn between his modern life as a Red Cross worker and his traditional life in his native country. John Skinner has written a novel that will enlighten readers.
Tokolosi tells the story of Tsabo Mashedi, a man who lives in the fictional African country of Katama. He receives mentoring and guidance from Henry, an international aid worker. Tsabo goes to Oxford and becomes an aid worker himself when he returns home. Once he returns to his homeland, he has to deal with a devastating drought and bureaucratic red tape to help his country recover from natural disasters.
Tokolosi is an informative novel that makes complex issues relatable through the characters. Henry is a sympathetic character who is a Westerner wanting to help Africa, but also wants Katama to become self-sufficient. Tsabo is the most developed and complex character. He isn’t a stereotypical simple African who has to be saved by White Westerners. Tsabo is torn between modernity and the traditional lives of his fellow villagers that impedes progress in Katama. Tsabo wants to help his country and makes it independent from foreign aid, but faces opposition from outside forces.
Skinner worked for the United Nations in Africa and his expertise shows in this novel. Skinner captures the overwhelming challenges facing developing countries as they try to overcome natural disasters and diseases in Tokolosi. His writing has technical language about non-government organizations, but also makes the language easy to understand. The novel is personal by highlighting the relationships between Tsabo and the Western missionaries and aid workers in Katama. Tsabo’s relationships with his fellow villagers are also written about in a realistic way. Tokolosi also adds maps and diary entries to create a sense of realism in the novel.
Tokolosi is a novel that would be best for readers who want to read about the inner workings of international aid agencies. Tokolosi would also be ideal for readers who want to read books about Westerners in Africa or Africans returning from Europe back to their homelands. Readers who enjoy reading novels like A Good Man in Africa by William Boyd or Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih will like Tokolosi. Additionally, the novel would be good for readers who want to learn more about the challenges faced by African developing countries. Tokolosi is an entertaining and eye- opening novel that will take readers on a journey through the complicated heart of Africa.
