For Ganae read Haiti and for the outgoing dictator read Duvalier, and you will have this novel centered. A poor, corrupt, former French Caribbean colony ruled by a mulatto elite and their secret police, sees Father Paul Michel take under his wing a young, intelligent black boy from a remote village whom he calls Jeannot. The boy grows up quickly, joining the priesthood, seeing the domination of his people for what it is, and as a brave, messianic orator inspires them to rise for the cause of democracy, eventually bowing to pressure in standing for election himself and taking power on a landslide victory...