A review by leahhateshardbacks
The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste

adventurous challenging dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I really didn't get on with the way this book was wirtten. Between overly written prose that made the most heartbreaking scenes quickly lose value, to the characters' daydreams which are apparently so rich and vivid in their mind that sometimes it was difficult to discern whether what was happening was real or imagined. I didn't like the whole *40 years later* sections that bookended the story, I don't think it was important enough to be how we enter the story, perhaps just at the end would have been better. I was so confused by Aster - does she like Hirut, does she hate Hirut, does she not know herself? Often her actions contradicted the way she verbalised how she felt about Hirut. It takes too long to understand why the book is called The Shadow King; you don't know until about half way through and although it's not a huge demerit it was frustrating as a reader (also The Shadow King, while a great title, is not completely representative of what the story is about... the women and not The Shadow King). Okay now good things!  I liked the bones of the story, the plot was interesting, feeling somewhat like a car crash that you can't help but stare horrified at (in a good way!!) although imo it could have been at least 100 pages shorter, maybe even under 300 pages altogether (cut most of the earlier stuff rather than the later). Most importantly though the main character Hirut was very endearing and easy to root for. A low class young girl sent to be a maid for a rebel and his wife after the death of her parents, Hirut is confused, frustrated, defiant, and fierce, and we see her qualities that hinder her as a maid blossom as she becomes a soldier. Tbh I think it's a bit of an insult that the book isn't named after her. 
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