I'm planning on setting a story in an unusual place (that is to say, for most readers it would be unusual, but I know it quite well), and for the purposes of “explaining stuff to the reader” I have chosen a main character who is not from the place.
At the same time I don't want the story to be weighed down by long passages of history and culture, but as it so happens, bits of said history and culture provide some vital pieces to the plot (isn't that always the way....)
Has anyone ever done something like this before? Would it be better to pick a native main guy who would do enough internal convo with himself to enable the reader to keep up? Or if not, is there some way to convey the info without sounding like a guidebook?
I did think of sprinkling bits of info when they're needed, but I think the readers would be like, huh? Plus, it might feel too god from the machine-ish...