Originally checked this book out as a possible addition to my Tanpınar/Saleh cultural alienation collection. Unfortunately, doesn't meet it, but it is still interesting in some ways.
Basically, the story of a Nigerian woman who moves to the States, struggles at first, but graduates from an elite university. Years later she returns to Lagos in Nigeria.
In her time in the US, she runs a highly popular blog about being African / black in the US. Entries from the blog are included in the novel - interesting way to run a novel of ideas within the context of a "story" novel. For me, these blog entries are the most interesting part of the book - they provide some very sharp and deep thoughts on race, race relations, race culture, race attitudes etc. in the contemporary US. (One of my favourites: I wasn't black until I moved to the US)
The book is mostly a very perceptive and critical look at race politics and relations in current society in the US. The Nigeria section does present some critical analysis, but much more shallow - and strangely, sounding more like the criticism an urban Westerner would levy.
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