The Ivory Crocodile

by Eileen Drew

Discover Great New Writers Program, 1996. Finalist, PEN Center USA West 1997 Literary Awards. "Drew's real subject is landscape, internal and geographic--an exploration of the ways in which Nicole seeks acceptance of herself as African, as benevolent, as self-reliant."-- The New York Times Book Review "Very highly recommended."-- CHOICE

288 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1996

About the author

Eileen Drew is the author of The Ivory Crocodile. Her short story collection Blue Taxis was acclaimed as a Notable Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review. Born in 1957 in Morocco as the child of an American diplomat, Drew grew up in Nigeria, Guinea, Ghana, Korea, and Washington D.C. In her early twenties, she joined the Peace Corps to return to Africa for a two year stint.

(from http://coffeehousepress.org/authors/e...)

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ill-paced, had atrocious characterization, and plenty of set-ups with no pay-offs. The main character spent many of her formative years in Africa. When she gets older she wants to go back to the "Africa" she loved so much, so she takes a job with a teaching company and gets sent to a remote village, where, although she only makes a meager amount of money, her comparative wealth flies in the face of all the natives. This African village has it all: small town politics, mysterious men, a welcoming choir, beautiful nights, great food, and young girls willing to dress her up in full African garb and invite her to a traditional wedding, treating her like royalty. In other words, everything I would find fascinating about living in a remote village in Africa. But the village and her work hold no appeal for her. This is not, it turns out, the "Africa" of her youth. No, the Africa of her youth was with her brother and their rich white friends, driving cars into the ocean on dares and swimming in a pool behind a large house while trying to ignore the dark-faced, curious stares through the security fence. It seems our narrator only feels like she is in the "Africa" of her youth when she is on vacation with other (white) teachers, drinking beer, smoking, and buying over-priced "stuff" in the touristy markets of the larger cities. Whether or not this is meant as a comment on the girl, or, Americans' perception of the continent of Africa in general is maybe a point too subtle for the stiff writing of the author. Africa is obviously close to the author's heart. But I finished the book with the feeling that the author could have conveyed this better had ANY of the characters or situations been treated with any sort of respect.

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