Rating: 
Summary: Being miserable is not a sign of depth
Review: There were many things not to like about this book. To start out with, I found only two of the characters (Adam and Iris) at all interesting. The main character, Esme, mistakes her constant quest to be personally miserable for depth and intellectualism. Raised by an alcoholic single father who regularly puts down anyone else's hopes and dreams, Esme has become a totally shallow woman who won't even talk to people who are not fashionably bored (women who look like normal women are either dirided as "dyke-like" or mommies).She also identifies herself soley by the relationship to the men in her life. The ones who are nice to her, she disdains. The one she really likes (nay, loves) is unattainable and emotionally abusive, dumping all his unresolved grief about tragic things on her. He, like her father, is extremely cutting about anyone's dreams, especially if they derive pleasure from it. Hunter's (her lover) character is worst of all. He has nothing good to say about the Kenyan society he operates in, but is more than willing to partake of hospitality offered by those he despises. He, like Esme, is merely an observer of life. He reports on what happens in Rwanda, for example, but states he is helpless to help in any way, while at the same time being extremely derisive about anyone doing anything at all to help the situation. He holds everyone accountable for their adherence to his grand overview of things, while giving himself a bye on his own creepy behavior. That Esme is so enraptured with him is further proof that she wants to be miserable. In fact, Hunter reinforces her feeling that misery equals moral superiority by telling her she is the most special person he knows in Nairobi. Even the mildly likeable Nicole, the painter, sees the greatest beauty in distruction, not in creation. It takes, however, much less energy to destroy beauty than to create it. I find this worldview incredibly vapid and self serving.
Rating: 
Summary: A witty and entertaining piece
Review: Esme was eight years old when her mother died. Esme left Manhattan to live with her father, Ferdinando, an Italian poet, who resided for the most part in Naples. Esme is an adult when her father died. Grieving his death, the bored Esme flees the continent to recover on a Kenyan safari. However, life in East Africa is nothing like Esme expected. Instead of the wild that she expected, she becomes part of the white expatriate population living in Nairobi. This group of individuals suffering from ennui openly use cocaine and nightly swap sex partners. Esme initially moves in with Adam, but quickly switches to cynical English reporter Hunter Reed. RULES OF THE WILD appears to be an attempt to turn Dinesen and Hemingway upside down and over the author's knees for a well deserved spanking. The disillusioned but opulent white community lingering in Africa is brilliantly described by Francesca Marciano. However, the novel fails to turn satirical, leaving a maudlin taste as readers realize that the females are banal losers while the males are self-indulging mental masturbaters. Though this inability to find something positive to say about these exiles makes the novel quite melancholy, the audience should note that Ms. Marciano has written a witty, interesting book that brings to life another aspect of African society. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Rules of the Wild
Review: Boring. Reminded me of the Bonfire of the Vanities only set in Africa. And it only seemed like Africa from a concocted movie set. The characters were soap-operatic. Esme, the main character had all the other characters telling her how deep she is and yet her actions throughout the book are sophmoric. The idea of juxtapositioning the raw nature of Africa against the violence of the humanity that actually occupies Africa as home is what drew me to the book. But not enough description of the beauty as well as not enough explanation/focus of the political events. Only the drivel of drinking, drugging, sex, and unreal dialogue of the white privileged class.
Rating: 
Summary: Quick, Easy Read About the Self-Absorbed Set
Review: This is a cynical story about the beautiful people -- it highlights the adventures of a group of shallow, narcissistic expatriates living in Kenya. Their trust funds allow them to lead the kind of aimless lives that are often shown in the movies. That said, I enjoyed the book. It had great descriptions about Africa (both the beauty and the horror), it had some political undertones (colonialism, race, violence), and an interesting plot. The main character, Esme is a mixed-up young woman who makes some questionable choices. She realizes the irony of some of her observations -- though seems helpless to affect change. She also has a detached way of looking at her life and her nonchalance can be frustrating. But ultimately I do believe she was interested in a certain amount of self-discovery and introspection. This book is not for everyone. If you are looking for a meaningful book about what it is like to be white and living in Africa, this book is NOT for you. But, if you are looking for a contemporary and light read about living abroad, I recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable
Review: Even though I may not quite qualify this as literature, I enjoyed this book very much (especially after reading a string of bad ones). I love books about Africa, always had a fascination for Kenya and read Blixen, Hemingway etc so I was delighted to find a new, more modern one in that vein. The characters can be frustrating at times but the story is interesting and it's the first time I ever see mention of the genocide in Rwanda in a book of fiction. The dichotomy of the ex-pat is well expressed also, when a single country and culture can no longer feel entirely like Home.
Rating: 
Summary: I loved this book and didn't want it to end!
Review: If you have ever been to Africa, if you have ever lived in an international community, if you have ever lived in a small community where everyone knows everyone, or if you've ever loved the wrong person, this book is for you.
Esme's childhood would make an interesting book itself, but the storyline is based on a trip to Africa which becomes her home. She first finds security which helps her find herself, she then finds love which brings her back to herself.
The flow of this book is wonderful - it jumps around in time but is easy to follow and comes full circle at the end. I read the last pages with both an eagerness to find out what happens and sadness that the story would soon be over.
Rating:
Summary: Haunting
Review: This book sat on my shelves for months collecting dust before I finally opened it. When I did, I found it hauntingly beautiful. Anyone who has lived life as an ex-pat in the devloping world will find much of it familiar, and recognize the cast of characters. For me it's a complicated love story about human nature and its tendency to ruin anything good. Are most of the characters narcissitic? Yes. But all, icluding Esme have more than enough redeeming qualities. This is not just a light read, there is much below the surface.
Rating:
Summary: A story of an unexpected love of a land...
Review: ...you never knew you wanted to go to. This novel completely mesmerized me.
I could not put it down for a second!
Rating: 
Summary: self-indulgent, self-righteous, and self-important.
Review: some good observations. BUT the writer is a little too in love with herself. she tries to use irony and some comments of self-awareness to deflect the fact that esmee is truly just as shallow and vapid as the tourists she despises. the story and characters are unlikeable and not as intelligent as the author assumes. esmee comes across as believing herself the first to "notice" africa. dull, empty of real love, and not even sexy.
Rating:
Summary: A love story set in Kenya
Review: An excellent read. The novel is a love story on an African backdrop (Kenya), and all those who have been to Nairobi and Mombasa will recognize the details. One of the great things about Africa is that the tapestry lends itself very well to such dramas. In addition, I am guessing that this book is not too far from being a true story... In any event it sounds like a highly likely course of events for a modern woman in Kenya. This does not diminish the value of the book, however. Read it and enjoy.
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