Sankofa

3.5

Anna, a middle-aged British Gen X biracial woman, mother of an adult professional woman with an eating disorder and estranged wife of a white guy who cheated on her, is also dealing with her mother's recent death. Her mother leaves her their apartment, where she discovers the journal of her unknown father, an African exchange student. So she hunts him down–and he's the former president/possible dictator of a tiny nation. There is debate about whether he's a brutal dictator or a respected leader who brought prosperity to the country.

The second half of the novel follows Anna as she meets her father and some siblings and had some misadventures, including random sex with a man who is barely an acquaintance and a night in jail, prompted by someone she didn't expect–but who is obvious to the reader.

The ending indicates she sort of finds herself in Africa, but I don't totally buy it. That being said, I enjoyed this novel and it's sparse prose. There's some humor here and some fear and the upheaval of life. But there is hope here too. She just needs to watch out for that newly-discovered family.