I expected this to be more plot-driven, but it's really more a collection of events that aren't always related, giving you the sense of life at this particular time and place in Africa. With the arrival of the white man, the plot picks up, but it didn't really compel me to read, though it was enjoyable when I did. The ending is powerful. 
 I read this for the Read Harder 2016 challenge: Read the first book in a series by a person of color.