Summary

The novel opens with an unidentified man who prefers to be identified less as an African and more by his individual soul and position amongst mankind. According to the narrative, this man’s name is Sello. Sello is “twin souls with closely-linked destinies” (11) with a woman named Elizabeth. Unlike the soul searching of “mankind’s great teachers” (12), theirs is an “insane pursuit” (12). After the woman ends her relationship with someone named Dan Molomo, she appreciates Sello much more. Elizabeth once believes that Dan could offer her freedom. But after four years of his emotional abuse, Sello tells Elizabeth that, “Love isn’t like that. Love is two people mutually feeding each other, not living on the soul of the other” (13). Dan is lewd, power-hungry, and viciously domineering.

He encourages Elizabeth to commit suicide, and threatens her son. Elizabeth, who is part English and...