BiteIntoBooks: Review: The White Masai (The White Masai #1)

Friday, March 1, 2019

Review: The White Masai (The White Masai #1)

Author: Corinne Hofmann
Started reading: February 14th 2019
Finished the book: February 17th 2019
Pages: 320
Genres: Autobiography, Cultural, Travel
Published: March 1st 1999
Source: Bought the book
Goodreads score: 3.43
My score:

Synopsis
The White Masai combines adventure and the pursuit of passion in a page-turning story of two star-crossed lovers from vastly different backgrounds. Corinne, a European entrepreneur, meets Lketinga, a Samburu warrior, while on vacation in Mombasa on Kenya's glamorous coast. Despite language and cultural barriers, they embark on an impossible love affair. Corinne uproots her life to move to Africa—not the romantic Africa of popular culture, but the Africa of the Masai, in the middle of the isolated bush, where five-foot-tall huts made from cow dung serve as homes. Undaunted by wild animals, hunger, and bouts with tropical diseases, she tries to forge a life with Lketinga. But slowly the dream starts to crumble when she can no longer ignore the chasm between their two vastly different cultures.

My thoughts

I believe this book is only a "somewhat good read" if you've been to Kenya, or if you are interested in the country and the Masai. The book itself isn't that great and I only really enjoyed the parts of the book that were about the country, the language and the vibe there, since I was reading the book while I was in Kenya.

Pros

Kenya: My beloved Kenya. I was actually in the area where the first parts of the book take place. I take the same ferry as in the story and I was probably in one of the resorts that are close to the one Corinne was staying. The way the vibe in Kenya is captured in this book is exactly right. The way the country, people and language are described was very accurate and I enjoyed reading about this country while being there myself.

Cons

Story: Everyone I spoke to about this book told me the same: That they think that Corinne is naive and that it bothered them while reading the book. I felt the same. I also felt like a lot of things were exaggerated. For example: The 345 flat tires in this book and the fact that the car breaks down 294 times. It made the book drag along and a lot of these scenes are not important for the story.
Synopsis: I don't think it's a wise choice to spoil the whole story on the back of the book or in the synopsis (especially at the back of the Dutch book). It is taking away any question the reader can have about the way the book is going to end. That took away some of the fun for me as well.
Writing style: Not my favorite. It felt like it was written by someone much younger than an adult woman with a child who has just lived in a foreign country for a very long time.

Overall

I'm so curious about other opinions on this book, or if you are willing to give it a try what you'll think afterward. I just loved the Kenyan vibe in this book and that was also the main reason I finished the book. The other aspects in this book didn't bother me that much. Not the characters and not the story itself, so sorry.