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the_sunken_library's review against another edition
5.0
A lyrical, modern ballad about the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in WWII and the brave women who stood up and fought for their country and freedom.
Maaza's use of language is captivating: she takes the mythical female warrior and brings her to life, giving her roots and an undeniable prescence on the page. These are no heroes from legend but real women.
This book is harrowing and tender, epic and intimate. I was utterly, embarrassingly ignorant on this subject and Maaza has lit a fire in my belly, driving me to discover more, to uncover tales and stories about Ethiopia, its people, its rich history and those who fought and died for its independence. Beautiful.
Maaza's use of language is captivating: she takes the mythical female warrior and brings her to life, giving her roots and an undeniable prescence on the page. These are no heroes from legend but real women.
This book is harrowing and tender, epic and intimate. I was utterly, embarrassingly ignorant on this subject and Maaza has lit a fire in my belly, driving me to discover more, to uncover tales and stories about Ethiopia, its people, its rich history and those who fought and died for its independence. Beautiful.
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
4.0
Problem with this book is that Mengiste just can't help trying to make her writing as dramatic as it can be; every single emotion in here had a poetical passage used to express it and most of this poetry is done by resorting to cliches. A story that is full of murders, rape crimes, war crimes and other forms of violence as well as some really well-developed characters; doesn't really need that extra dose of dramatization from the prose. That said, it's probably one of most researched books I have read and it does a real good job in handling stories of several characters which is a gigantic task by itself.
chiara_everywhere's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
natalie_is_reading's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Bit of a slow start to the book as it was hard to get into- the different characters and perspectives were confusing to keep track of as they just flow one into the next, but I got more into it as it went on. Didn’t know anything about the Italian 1935 invasion of Ethiopia or all that much about Ethiopia in general, so interesting to learn about. Also, from the back of the book, this “exploration of what it means to be a woman at war “ - it means graphic SA practically every other chapter, be aware.
Bit of a slow start to the book as it was hard to get into- the different characters and perspectives were confusing to keep track of as they just flow one into the next, but I got more into it as it went on. Didn’t know anything about the Italian 1935 invasion of Ethiopia or all that much about Ethiopia in general, so interesting to learn about. Also, from the back of the book, this “exploration of what it means to be a woman at war “ - it means graphic SA practically every other chapter, be aware.
whatadutchgirlreads's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
clara_lotte's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
If I have to read one more time how the light falls over someone's shoulder...
bhargav09's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
missyjohnson's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a little while to get into the rhythm of this book. Several reasons, it had not quotation marks for dialogue, unfamiliar names, Ethiopian words that were difficult to translate and lack of knowledge of Ethiopian history. I did do some reading to understand the war with the Italians. I also had to read about Haile Salassie to understand a bit more of his role. The story was also difficult because of the brutality. The brutality of the war in and of itself and the brutality of the men toward the women in their lives. I will think about this book for a while and the role of Minim as the Shadow King, what his presence meant to people and then what it meant for The Emperor to flee to Britain. There is also the idea of what it means to wear certain clothes and how that makes others perceive us. As well as the small detailed actions that we take to continue a charade. Another aspect of the book is the strength of the women portrayed. As helpers and as warriors. The descriptions of the things that Hirut imagined or forced her mind to see and do during various ordeals was gut wrenching.