The Cave

The Cave in Ilmorog is where the Devil’s Feast takes place. Despite its name, the cave is a very nice and luxurious space. As the narrator reflects: “But was it really a cave—or the finest of houses?” (92). The floor is polished and clean, and the barmaids are dressed like Playboy Bunnies. However, the fact that it is called a cave emphasizes the seedy underside of the Thieves and Robbers’ activities. The cave emphasizes the way in which it acts as a kind of lair, from which the greedy capitalists of the novel are able to plot and boast about their schemes.

Nairobi

The young man who prevents Warĩĩnga from committing suicide at the beginning of the novel describes Nairobi as “large, soulless and corrupt” (15). Thus it is experienced, especially for the novel’s female characters. For example, Warĩĩnga experiences Nairobi as a place...