Beneath the Lion's Gaze

by MaazaMengiste

Beneath the Lion's Gaze <> Paperback <> MaazaMengiste <> W.W.Norton&Company

Paperback

Published January 31, 2011

Reviews

[Shobhana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book follows the family of a doctor, his dying wife and their two sons through the political upheaval. This is a 2010 novel by Ethiopian-American writer Maaza Mengiste. It describes a family in Addis Ababa in 1974, living through the transition from emperor Haile Selassie to rule by the Derg.
I enjoyed the family dynamics between the sons and the father. Emotionally gripping, poetic, and tragic, Beneath The Lion’s Gaze is a powerful debut. I liked Dr. Hailu’s character and detested his son’s Dawit’s overall personality.

[Louise T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartbreaking introduction to a history I knew very little about. Set on the eve of Ethiopia’s revolution and through the horrors of the Red Terror, the novel puts a human face on a devastating period of history. I’m glad I read it.

[Abby Levin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot and it was a good book but was confusing at times and ended so abruptly

[Diana Andrade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This broke my heart, to think than this and worse happened is just too much… beautifully written.