Ripples in the Pool

Ripples in the Pool is a symbolic and powerful novel that delves into the tragedy and spiritual disconnection in rural Africa. Central characters, like Selina, a former prostitute, and Gikere, a hospital assistant, return to their village with ambitions of wealth and power, neglecting the spiritual significance of the village pool. The pool, guarded by a mysterious old man, symbolizes the lands integrity and spiritual essence. As these characters pursue material gains, they disregard this spiritual core, leading to their downfall. Selinas journey, marked by a conflict between her rural roots and urban disillusionment, ends in personal and communal tragedy. The novel critiques modernitys moral decay and the loss of spiritual connection, questioning whether the pools sanctity ultimately prevails over such corruption. The characters, who span a whole tapestry of rural Africa, are portrayed with a depth and richness that illuminates with shocking clarity aspects of rural society heretofore largely unexplored by African writers.