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Reviewed by Willam Haines for Readers' Favorite
History is always interesting and educational, which makes Sojourner by Ayaan Pettus a good read. It immerses readers in late 19th-century West Africa, exploring the rivalry of the Songhai, Tuaregs, Moroccans, Timbuktuans, and the Goumaten Esuf of Zombies in the desert. The story covers the dangerous odyssey of the protagonist Professor Cazembi Ibn Mugabe, his friend Kho, and a caravan of different merchants, fighters, and other travelers through the Sahara desert. On their journey, the caravan encounters many problems, such as intertribal feuds, Tuareg attacks, and El-Menir, a wicked sorcerer who wants to stop the caravan. The group tours as actors from Agadez to Timbuktu and experiences religious clashes and political unrest of the time. The book portrays the ethnic groups and their relationships against the background of the Moroccan invasion of Songhai. The scenarios are characteristic of life in the desert with strife and warfare. Elements of enlightenment, religion, existence, and ethnicity run throughout the story and culminate with acts of tragedy and heroism.
Sojourner stands out for detailing the West African cultures authentically while at the same time providing an interesting plot. Captivating the reader, Ayaan Pettus writes energetically and provides a living picture of the Sahara and the societies that dwell there. The cultural setting is appropriately captured, starting with the matrilineal culture among the Tuareg people and followed by a detailed account of intertribal politics. The characters are memorable, especially the scholar Cazembi, who gave wise counsel and was a diplomatic man, in contrast to the violence prevalent in most of the book. The action is moderate with moments of a cliffhanger combined with philosophical digressions on education, religion, and morality—all these make the novel both inspiring and engaging. While the book is packed with action and conflict, it is about the relationship between using knowledge and misunderstanding the culture, which is a powerful message even today. In essence, this is not only an enthralling adventure but touches on the human experience as well.
