The Shadow King
A Novel
1 September 2020
Territory Rights — Worldwide excluding Canada and the British Commonwealth.
Description
Shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize, and named a best book of the year by the New York Times, NPR, Elle, Time, and more, The Shadow King is an “unforgettable epic from an immensely talented author who’s unafraid to take risks” (Michael Schaub, NPR).
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.
Reviews
"Lyrical, remarkable." — New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice
"Capacious.… adopts the register of myth to shape an epic of nationhood and resistance." — The New Yorker
"Unforgettable.… [A] propulsive read that captures a historical moment from a fresh perspective." — Time
"[The Shadow King] is written in a key of pride and exaltation, and its characters have the outsize form of national heroes.… Stirring." — Sam Sacks, Wall Street Journal
"In haunting and beautiful prose, Mengiste shines a light on those whose lives are not often heralded." — Newsweek
"Ambitious and illuminating." — Elizabeth Sile, Real Simple
"A beautiful and thoughtful epic." — Francesca Capossela, Los Angeles Review of Books
"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." — BookPage (starred review)
"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, Shelf Awareness
"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." — Booklist (starred review)
Also By: Maaza Mengiste 
Beneath the Lion's Gaze: A Novel
E Book, 2011
"An important novel, rich in compassion for its anguished characters." —The New York Times Book Review
Beneath the Lion's Gaze: A Novel
Paperback, 2010
"An important novel, rich in compassion for its anguished characters." —The New York Times Book Review
