The Shadow King
Maaza Mengiste
(Author)
Description
Set during Mussolini's 1935 invasion of Ethiopia, The Shadow King takes us back to the first real conflict of World War II, casting light on the women soldiers who were left out of the historical record. At its heart is orphaned maid Hirut, who finds herself tumbling into a new world of thefts and violations, of betrayals and overwhelming rage. What follows is a heartrending and unputdownable exploration of what it means to be a woman at war.
Product Details
Price
$17.95
$16.69
Publisher
W. W. Norton & Company
Publish Date
September 01, 2020
Pages
448
Dimensions
5.4 X 8.1 X 1.4 inches | 0.85 pounds
Language
English
Type
Paperback
EAN/UPC
9780393358513
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About the Author
Maaza Mengiste was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and graduated with an M.F.A. in creative writing from New York University. A recent Pushcart Prize nominee, she was named New Literary Idol by New York Magazine. Her work has appeared in the Baltimore Review, Ninth Letter, and 42opus; has been translated and published into German and Romanian for Lettre International; and can be found in the anthology Homelands: Women's Journeys Across Race, Place and Time. A recipient of fellowships from the Prague Summer Program, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Yaddo, she currently lives in New York.
Reviews
Monumental.... Mengiste's extraordinary characters--shrewd Kidane, militant Aster, the enigmatic cook, narcissistic Italian commander Fucelli, conflicted photographer Ettore, elusive prostitute Fifi, even haunted Selassie--epitomize the impossibly intricate ties between humanity and monstrosity, and the unthinkable, immeasurable cost of survival.
Lyrical, remarkable.
Capacious.... adopts the register of myth to shape an epic of nationhood and resistance.
Unforgettable.... [A] propulsive read that captures a historical moment from a fresh perspective.
In haunting and beautiful prose, Mengiste shines a light on those whose lives are not often heralded.
Ambitious and illuminating.--Elizabeth Sile
A beautiful and thoughtful epic.--Francesca Capossela
Stunning.... [Mengiste] produced a work of fiction that is epic in reach, with brilliant borrowings from the forms of classic tragedy.... The book is impossible to put down or put out of mind.
The Shadow King exposes a brutal chapter in Ethiopia's history and urges readers to listen for the untold stories of war, especially those of women.--Katie Noah Gibson
Lyrical, remarkable.
Capacious.... adopts the register of myth to shape an epic of nationhood and resistance.
Unforgettable.... [A] propulsive read that captures a historical moment from a fresh perspective.
In haunting and beautiful prose, Mengiste shines a light on those whose lives are not often heralded.
Ambitious and illuminating.--Elizabeth Sile
A beautiful and thoughtful epic.--Francesca Capossela
Stunning.... [Mengiste] produced a work of fiction that is epic in reach, with brilliant borrowings from the forms of classic tragedy.... The book is impossible to put down or put out of mind.
The Shadow King exposes a brutal chapter in Ethiopia's history and urges readers to listen for the untold stories of war, especially those of women.--Katie Noah Gibson
