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The Shadow King

An unforgettable epic shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize, and named a best ...

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Discuss The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste

What do you think informed Aster and Hirut's relationship at the beginning of the novel? How has their relationship changed by the novel's end?

8

Oct. 23, 2020
by Peggy H

The reader is given an intimate perspective on a variety of characters, including some who might not normally be considered worthy of empathy. How did you feel about having access to these characters' thoughts?

7

Oct. 23, 2020
by Peggy H

How did the sections from Emperor Haile Selassie's perspective influence the narrative? Did you feel sympathy for him, anger, some other emotion?

15

Oct. 23, 2020
by Peggy H

What do you think these portrayals show about the nature of trauma? What do they say about the effects of sexual assault on victims or of war on those who are involved in it?

3

Oct. 20, 2020
by ireneh

Which do you think is a more faithful record of historical experience, photographs or writing? How does the novel influence your feelings about this choice?

13

Oct. 20, 2020
by ashleighp

Characters in The Shadow King are anchored by objects that carry great significance for them. What do you think accounts for the power of these objects? Are there any objects in your life that hold a similar personal significance?

11

Oct. 15, 2020
by audrey1

What was the effect of learning about characters from both the Ethiopian and the Italian sides?

6

Oct. 15, 2020
by audrey1

Overall, what do you think of The Shadow King (no spoilers in this thread please)

20

Oct. 14, 2020
by ashleighp

What do we learn about the story of the cook's life through her scenes with Hirut and Aster? Why do you think the cook is the only character in the novel to remain unnamed?

7

Oct. 03, 2020
by ireneh

Why do you think Hirut returns forty years later to give Ettore the letters?

5

Sep. 30, 2020
by windellh

What do you think about the relationship between Carlo Fucelli and Fifi?

7

Sep. 30, 2020
by windellh

What are the advantages of using fiction to showcase new aspects of historical experience, versus nonfiction?

7

Sep. 29, 2020
by jenniferk

What do you think about Kidane's use of the nickname "Little One" for Hirut and, in a flashback, Aster (p. 48)?

7

Sep. 28, 2020
by janeto

How does Hirut subvert the idea of obedience as a survival strategy throughout the novel?

5

Sep. 28, 2020
by phenkat

What role do Getey and Fasil, Hirut's parents, play in the narrative of The Shadow King? How does their memory influence Hirut, and Aster?

2

Sep. 28, 2020
by phenkat

What does the novel say about the effect rigid gender roles can have on people's behavior?

3

Sep. 23, 2020
by ylhoff

How does loss reverberate through the characters' lives, and how do those losses explicitly shape their actions and choices in relation to other characters?

3

Sep. 23, 2020
by ylhoff

The Shadow King contains longer narrative sections broken up by descriptions of photographs and "Chorus" sections. What do you think this arrangement adds to the story? How did it affect your reading of the book?

11

Sep. 23, 2020
by carried

To what extent are Ettore's war photographs important records of violence perpetrated, and to what extent are they acts of violence?

6

Sep. 23, 2020
by bookfabulous

How does the theme of resurrection function throughout the novel?

2

Sep. 22, 2020
by bookfabulous

The novel is full of characters who act as doubles or shadow versions of one another. What are some of these character pairings and how would you describe the characters' relationships to each other?

1

Sep. 19, 2020
by elisabethc

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