White Spirit. Roman einer Liebe

the long version

Working with an import-export company, Victor boards a rickety boat called The Will of God and sails from France to Port-Banane, an outpost in an unnamed, contemporary African country. The banana plantation boss, is bringing along a beautiful, light-skinned black French prostitute, Lola. Victor, who's infatuated with Lola, is put in charge of the banana plantation's local store. Lola still aspires to whiteness, so Victor sells her a corrosive powder (the "White Spirit" of the title) that bleaches her skin. The remainder of the powder ends up in the hands of a fanatical African religious leader, who puts the substance to horrific use.