King Lazarus: A Novel

I have several other books by Beti and, after this, I can safely say that it will be a while before I read them. The story is set just after World War II among a Bantu tribe in Cameroon. The local French missionary takes advantage of the unexpected (miraculous, one might even say) recovery of the local Chief from certain death to convince him to embrace Christianity. In so doing, he is obliged to disavow 22 of his 23 wives—leading some of them (together with their families and tribes) to object, sometimes vigorously. The repudiation and subsequent disharmony causes chaos and drags in the local French administration, allowing Beti the opportunity to lambaste everyone equally: natives, the French missionary, the Church, and the French show more government. The French administration is eager for peace since the Chief had been an important supporter of theirs before his illness. Now his actions, while pleasing to the Church, have broken with centuries of tribal custom and sown discord. I think there is a pretty good book underneath it all, but Beti’s reach exceeds his grasp. show less