THE MEMORY OF LOVE BY AMINATTA FORNA, BLOOMSBURY, $32.99.
Set in Sierra Leone, the book interweaves the story of two generations. Professor Elias Cole tells of life on campus in Freetown in the late 1960s, his passion for the beautiful Saffia and his relationship with her charismatic but dangerously politically active husband.
Listening to this unreliable narrative is Adrian Lockheart, an English psychologist escaping a stultifying life. All the characters are beautifully drawn, their experiences of a horrific war subtly told. As their stories unfold, their lives collide in surprising ways, bringing tragedy, truth and hope. The Memory Of Love is not a book to be hurried, but it will reward the reader who gives it the time and thought it deserves.