Local Customs is a novel based on the life, and more significantly, the death of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, who, as L. E. L., was a popular Romantic poet and novelist of the early nineteenth century. While the following biographical information may look spoilerish, it is very easily accessible historical fact, and is all laid out very early in the book. Letty was born in England in 1802. By the time she was 20, she was supporting herself, her mother, and her brother on the income from her writing. She lived independently in London and led an active social life. There were various scandalous rumours regarding her love life, and she remained single until her mid thirties. In 1838, she married George Maclean, governor of Cape Coast Castle on the Gold Coast of Africa (now Ghana), while he was in England on leave. Shortly after the wedding, they sailed to Africa, arriving in August. Two months later, Letty died under circumstances that were never entirely clear. Those are the basic facts. Beyond that, I don't know how much of the story as told in this novel is based directly on the author's research, and how much is speculation and dramatization.

Letty is the primary narrator, and tells us even before the first chapter that she is dead. Her story bounces back and forth in time a lot, as she describes her background, writing, courtship, marriage, and life and death in Africa. As the book progresses, several other narrators pitch in, sometimes telling their own stories, and sometimes retelling Letty's story from different perspectives. The use of multiple first person narrative voices is one of the most notable features of the book. It takes very little time to realize that everyone's honesty is questionable. Some topics that are significant to the plot are social class, colonialism, slavery, mental illness, and the place of women in society.

I had only one problem with the book, and that was purely a matter of personal preference. I do not like historical fiction that is based on real people's lives. So all the time that I was reading, I kept wondering which parts were true. Give me fiction or nonfiction, not a nebulous, in-between fictionalization. Aside from that, it was a very good book. Knowing the eventual outcome added to the subtly building tension. The multiple perspectives were handled well, creating conflict between word and deed. For example, two characters each tell us that they dislike the other because that person treats the servants badly, and cite instances. The serious issues are well-integrated into the story, sometimes obliquely, sometimes with a sledgehammer. The history feels realistic, and the characters express attitudes and concerns that are appropriate to the period. Sensory descriptions of tropical Africa permeate the narrative, with the relentless sound of the sea, the brilliant colours, the blowing sand, and the stifling heat. While obviously not a happy book, Local Customs does have its humorous moments and light spots. It provides history, character study, social commentary, and a puzzle to unravel. ( )