THE GOD WHO BEGAT A JACKAL
Mezlekia, Nega
Picador USA, New York, 2002. Hardcover. Near Fine in a Near Fine dustjacket. 242pp. Protected in mylar sleeve. 242pp.
In The God Who Begat a Jackal, the 17th-century feudal system, vassal uprisings, religious mythology, and the Crusades are intertwined with the love between Aster, the daughter of a feudal lord, and Gudu, the court jester and family slave. Aster and Gudu's relationship is the ultimate taboo, but supernatural elements presage a destiny more powerful than the rule of man. With Mezlekia's enchanting storytelling and ironic humor, readers glimpse African deities that have long since weathered away and the social cleavages that have endured through time.
