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tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.5
‘She does not want to remember but she is here and memory is gathering bones.’
The novel opens with a prologue, set in 1974. Hirut has travelled from rural Ethiopia to Addis Ababa, to return letters and photos to Ettore, an Italian man, whom she knew forty years earlier. How does Hirut know Ettore? To answer that question, we are taken back to 1935, to the eve of the second Italo-Ethiopian War under Mussolini (the first war was fought in 1895-96). In 1935, Hirut, who had been orphaned, was employed as a maid by Kidane and his wife Aster. Kidane, an officer on Emperor Haile Selassie’s army, rushes to mobilise his forces before the Italian invade.
But when Haile Selassie travels into exile (ensuring that he is accompanied by his gramophone and recording of Verdi’s ‘Aida’), the Ethiopians lose heart. Aster refuses to stay home, and accompanied by Hirut accompanies Kidane’s forces. Although Kidane wants them to care for the wounded, some wish to fight. Hirut suggests that Minim, a peasant who looks like Haile Selassie, be disguised as the emperor to boost morale. Hirut becomes one of his guards and is joined by other women.
The story unfolds over five parts: the prologue, three books (parts) entitled Invasion, Resistance and Returns and then an epilogue.
The Ethiopians fighting the war remember those who last fought the Italians in 1895-96. So too do the Italians.
‘They have come to rewrite history, to alter memory, to resurrect their dead and refashion them as heroes.’
Photographs taken by Ettore to document the war (the intended Italian triumph) are only partially representative. Ettore is Jewish, which becomes increasingly dangerous as the war progresses and expands. Ettore is told that Jewish soldiers will need to register their ethnicity, amid growing antisemitism in Italy. The Ethiopians have courage, but few modern weapons. And increasingly must revisit traditional gender barriers if they are to prevail.
This is a complex and engrossing novel.
I was drawn into this world, into the battles, expectations, and tragedies. Several characters made an impact: Hirut, Ettore, the woman known only as the Cook, the cruel Colonel Fucelli and his consort Fifi. Minim, the Shadow King, had his own nobility, far more impressive (to me) than Haile Selassie listening to Verdi’s ‘Aida’.
The tragedy is compounded by the descriptions of photographs and the insertion of choruses at different points in the narrative.
When I finished the novel, I read Ms Mengiste’s author’s note. She writes of her grandfather, one of the Ethiopian soldiers, and of later learning about her great-grandmother, who had taken her father’s gun and gone to war.
‘What I have come to understand is this: The story of war has always been a masculine story, but this was not true for Ethiopia and it has never been that way in any form of struggle. Women have been there, we are here now.’
A novel I will reread. Highly recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
reindeerbandit's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
war is and has always been a dick measuring contest between a bunch of bitch ass men. women are everything as usual.
xtie's review against another edition
3.0
I came back to this book a year after I had to return it to my friend before I moved away - only a hundred pages in and with the plot just picking up. A painful and at times, beautiful story within the Second Italo-Ethiopian War - although certain concluding plot points seemed too convenient. Lots of trigger warnings for this book too! But I desperately wanted to finish it, so for that, it gets a 3.5.
redheadreading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
I was very intrigued to learn more about this moment of history and it was an illuminating read. It's a bit disappointing that, for a book that's marketed as being about the women in this army, so much of the narrative is focused on male characters and the women who accompany the army are largely unnamed and unexplored. I initially liked the way the narrative skittering from perspective to perspective (particularly the chorus!) But after a while it left me feeling quite disjointed - perhaps because the writing is highly lyrical, so it felt like wading through descriptions and side perspectives quite a lot? That said, when moments hit, they do hit hard, particularly those to do with the photographs (like the hanging scene).
irati03's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.5
jordan_linder's review against another edition
3.0
Incredible history I did not know about. Interesting story, sometimes hard to follow with all the characters and jumping back from one POV to another POV. Long book.
souljaleonn's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
yashrin's review against another edition
Was too hard fpr me to focus on the story while constantly trying to figure out if someone is speaking bc there are no quotation marks.
lren1983's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75