1974

She does not want to remember but she is here and memory is gathering bones. She has come by foot and by bus to Addis Ababa, across terrain she has chosen to forget for nearly forty years. She is two days early but she will wait for him, seated on the ground in this corner of the train station, the metal box on her lap, her back pressed against the wall, rigid as a sentinel. She has put on the dress she does not wear every day. Her hair is neatly braided and sleek and she has been careful to hide the long scar that puckers at the base of her neck and trails over her shoulder like a broken necklace.

In the box are his letters, le lettere, ho sepolto le mie lettere, è il mio segreto, Hirut, anche il tuo segreto. Segreto, secret, meestir. You must keep them for me until I see you again. Now go. Vatene. Hurry before they catch you.

There are newspaper clippings with dates spanning the course of the war between her country and his. She knows he has arranged them from the start, 1935,...

Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers!

1. The Shadow King highlights the previously lesser-known role of female soldiers fighting in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War (and in world conflicts more generally). To what extent do you think art is the most useful means of changing existing historical narratives? What are the advantages of using fiction to showcase new aspects of historical experience, versus nonfiction?
2. Characters in The Shadow King are anchored by objects that carry great significance for them: Hirut's rifle, Aster's necklace, Ettore's letters. What do you think accounts for the power of these physical objects? Are there any objects in your life that hold a similar kind of strong personal significance?
3. What do you think about Kidane's use of the nickname "Little One...

Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers!

Here are some of the comments posted about The Shadow King.
You can see the full discussion here.


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?
As the situation became more and more desperate these objects took on a greater significance tying the characters back to the world of normalcy. I have the small coffee pot that my mother used each morning to make coffee with. I dont even drink ... - audrey1

How did the sections from Emperor Haile Selassie's perspective influence the narrative? Did you feel sympathy for him, anger, some other emotion?
I agree with all of the above who feel that his actions showed his limited leadership skills. Of course this was a time that others too faced the attempts of other to gain entrance into Africa. It was interesting that he liked Aida. I compared ... - Peggy H

How does Hirut subvert the idea of obedience as a survival strategy throughout the novel?
Nobody feels comfortable bound by obedience. Look what happened to Ibrahaim, whose motives for following instructions and leading the ascari in favor of the Italians. Aster always kept her own counsel and did not learn obedience. Hirute is always ... - phenkat

How does loss reverberate through the characters' lives, and how do those losses explicitly shape their actions and choices in relation to other characters?
The level of loss from the first chapter constantly left them either victims or perpetrators. I don't think there was even one character that didn't experience some sort of warped view of the world because of it. There wasn't a moment for sustained... - ylhoff

How does the theme of resurrection function throughout the novel?
I agree with Phenkat that not many outside of Ethiopia were aware of these women soldiers. Many fought side by side and died fighting for a country they loved and a people they believed in. The author's great great grandmother was one of those women ... - bookfabulous