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The Wife's Tale: A Personal History
A hundred years ago, a girl was born in the northern Ethiopian city of Gondar. Before she was ten years old, Yetemegnu was married to a man two decades her senior, an ambitious poet-priest. Over the next century her world changed beyond recognition.
She witnessed Fascist invasion and occupation, Allied bombardment and exile from her city, the ascent and fall of Emperor Haile Selassie, revolution and civil war. She endured all these things alongside parenthood, widowhood and the death of children.
Aida Edemariam retells her grandmother's stories of a childhood surrounded by proud priests and soldiers, of her husband's imprisonment, of her fight for justice - all of it played out against an ancient cycle of festivals and the rhythms of the seasons.
She witnessed Fascist invasion and occupation, Allied bombardment and exile from her city, the ascent and fall of Emperor Haile Selassie, revolution and civil war. She endured all these things alongside parenthood, widowhood and the death of children.
Aida Edemariam retells her grandmother's stories of a childhood surrounded by proud priests and soldiers, of her husband's imprisonment, of her fight for justice - all of it played out against an ancient cycle of festivals and the rhythms of the seasons.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 20, 2018
260 people are currently reading
2386 people want to read
About the author
Aida Edemariam
3 books55 followersAida Edemariam, whose father is Ethiopian and mother Canadian, grew up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She studied English literature at Oxford and the University of Toronto, and has worked as a journalist in New York (at Harper’s Magazine), Toronto and London, where she is a senior feature writer and editor for the Guardian, writing on everything from politics to literature (essays on the academic novel, interviews with Alice Munro, Mavis Gallant, Edward Albee, Jorie Graham, Hilary Mantel etc) to reporting on the aircraft and North Sea oil industries. Her work has been chosen for Best American Essays, and nominated for a National Magazine Award and an Amnesty Media award. An early section of her first book was awarded a Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Prize for non-fiction. She lives in Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
July 15, 2018
This is a bit different type of memoir/biography. The author tells the story of her grandmother, Yetemegnu Mekonnen, who was born in Goudar, Ethiopia in 1916. She was married at age eight to a man who was almost thirty years of age. Edemanam’ s writing is in a beautiful rhythmic prose. The description of the country, superstitions, and customs of early twentieth century Ethiopia is superb. I almost felt as if I was there during the Italian invasion. Toward the end of the book, she told of the moment that the “chicken scratch in the book became understandable words” as she was learning to read absolutely fascinated me.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is almost ten hours. Adjoa Andoh does an absolutely fantastic job narrating this book. It is her narration of the book that brought the story to life. I do not think the book would be as meaningful by my reading it. Andoh did the Ethiopian women yell which I could never do even in my mind. Andoh is a British actress and voice-over artist. She is also an Earphone Award- winning audiobook narrator.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is almost ten hours. Adjoa Andoh does an absolutely fantastic job narrating this book. It is her narration of the book that brought the story to life. I do not think the book would be as meaningful by my reading it. Andoh did the Ethiopian women yell which I could never do even in my mind. Andoh is a British actress and voice-over artist. She is also an Earphone Award- winning audiobook narrator.
May 15, 2018
The Wife's Tale is a beautiful history of a family that will pull at your heart strings.
My goodness, this book was impossible for me to put down. This breath taking recount of a woman's life in Ethiopia was truly incredible. I'm Canadian and I haven't left North America, so reading about other people's lives has always been something I enjoy. Seeing into this woman's life and the troubles and triumphs that occurred... It's so incredible that there are hardly words.
This memoir is worth every second and needs to be read by everyone (in my humble opinion). The life of this stranger and how she lived will give you insight to a world you might not have been aware existed. Yetemegnu's life and journey is so mind blowing! I highly recommend this book and it's a must read for me!
This woman was married young, had many children, learned so much and felt so many emotions throughout her life. It was mesmerizing and made me really think about my own life as well. The reflection this novel brings on is worth every penny.
This book may be difficult to follow - some words are not in English, but in my ARC there was a little dictionary at the back. Additionally, it's not some action packed story - it's following a woman's life, so at times it's not super exciting. It's a slice of Yetemegnu's life.
This story of bravery, determination and love is one of my top books of the year now. I want to see it on every bookshelf in town! If you're looking for a book to open up your horizons, pick this book up! Seriously, make it one of the few books you read this year!!
Five out of five stars.
I received a free copy of this book in ARC form via Goodreads First Reads.
My goodness, this book was impossible for me to put down. This breath taking recount of a woman's life in Ethiopia was truly incredible. I'm Canadian and I haven't left North America, so reading about other people's lives has always been something I enjoy. Seeing into this woman's life and the troubles and triumphs that occurred... It's so incredible that there are hardly words.
This memoir is worth every second and needs to be read by everyone (in my humble opinion). The life of this stranger and how she lived will give you insight to a world you might not have been aware existed. Yetemegnu's life and journey is so mind blowing! I highly recommend this book and it's a must read for me!
This woman was married young, had many children, learned so much and felt so many emotions throughout her life. It was mesmerizing and made me really think about my own life as well. The reflection this novel brings on is worth every penny.
This book may be difficult to follow - some words are not in English, but in my ARC there was a little dictionary at the back. Additionally, it's not some action packed story - it's following a woman's life, so at times it's not super exciting. It's a slice of Yetemegnu's life.
This story of bravery, determination and love is one of my top books of the year now. I want to see it on every bookshelf in town! If you're looking for a book to open up your horizons, pick this book up! Seriously, make it one of the few books you read this year!!
Five out of five stars.
I received a free copy of this book in ARC form via Goodreads First Reads.
December 16, 2018
The twentieth century history of Ethiopia is told here by the author through the remarkable life of her paternal grandmother, Yetemegnu, to whom this book is also a personal tribute. Although a biography rather than a memoir, the author attempts to tell the story through her grandmother’s eyes.
Yetemegnu was born in 1916 and died in 2013. She was married at the age of eight (you read that right) to a priest who was 22 years older than her, and had the first of her 9 children at the age of 14 (a tenth pregnancy miscarried). She was born into a feudal, slave owning society that had hardly changed in centuries, and over the course of her long life witnessed the Italian invasion of the 1930s, the expulsion of the Italians in 1941, the overthrow of the Emperor Haile Selassie and the “Red Terror” that followed, as well as the Great Famine of 1984-85. It probably helps if you know something of the country’s history before reading this, but if not there is a timeline at the back of the book, along with a glossary of Amharic words and phrases used in the text.
I thought the opening 100 pages or so were really good, but the narrative seemed to lose a bit of impetus after that. Yetemegnu was a very religious woman, and more and more the text delved into dreams, visions and spirit possession, as well as descriptions of years of litigation around her husband’s estate. We do get a sense of Ethiopian Christianity, which seems to (or at least, did) occupy a central part in the lives of the majority of the population, and which involves a level of absolute devotion rarely seen in Western countries these days. The book closes with a very fitting salute from the author. Yetemegnu was certainly a woman with very great reserves of strength and resilience.
Yetemegnu was born in 1916 and died in 2013. She was married at the age of eight (you read that right) to a priest who was 22 years older than her, and had the first of her 9 children at the age of 14 (a tenth pregnancy miscarried). She was born into a feudal, slave owning society that had hardly changed in centuries, and over the course of her long life witnessed the Italian invasion of the 1930s, the expulsion of the Italians in 1941, the overthrow of the Emperor Haile Selassie and the “Red Terror” that followed, as well as the Great Famine of 1984-85. It probably helps if you know something of the country’s history before reading this, but if not there is a timeline at the back of the book, along with a glossary of Amharic words and phrases used in the text.
I thought the opening 100 pages or so were really good, but the narrative seemed to lose a bit of impetus after that. Yetemegnu was a very religious woman, and more and more the text delved into dreams, visions and spirit possession, as well as descriptions of years of litigation around her husband’s estate. We do get a sense of Ethiopian Christianity, which seems to (or at least, did) occupy a central part in the lives of the majority of the population, and which involves a level of absolute devotion rarely seen in Western countries these days. The book closes with a very fitting salute from the author. Yetemegnu was certainly a woman with very great reserves of strength and resilience.
July 3, 2023
I have debated with myself how to rate this book. At first, it was really slow and I wanted to abandon it. The writing was stilted as if the author didn't want to bother writing proper sentences. The random bible paragraphs annoyed me. But since I wanted to read something about Ethiopia, I persevered and definitely do not regret it. The story is what ultimately drew me in.
The narrative centres around the life of Yetemegnu, the author's grandmother. Born in Ethiopia in the 1920s, she was married off at the age of eight to a priest. He turned out to be controlling and abusive, but the couple had their tender moments as well. As regimes fall and other regimes take over, the events of the tumultuous 20th century affects Yetemegnu's life in myriad ways. The book follows her life in the context of history and provides both a micro and macro views of Ethiopia in the last century. It is Yetemegnu's eldest son, Edemariam, who migrated to Canada and had a daughter, Aida, who wrote this memoir.
There were many places in the book where I was confused. The author's writing style was deliberately obfuscating. There were many places where a single sentence could have given the context that readers not familiar with Ethiopia or Yetemegnu may lack. Events change in the blink of an eyelid and I had to keep turning back pages to check what happened - not that it helped! I ultimately resorted to Google to help clarify the wider context in which the events were taking place.
The addition of biblical phrases added nothing for me. At first, I read them diligently but eventually realised I simply had no context to make any connections and started skipping them. This made me feel I was losing out on something that was supposed to enhance my reading experience. Yetemegnu's dreams and her predictions are depicted as real (at least in the first half), which left me wondering if this was fact or fiction.
But, despite all the irritants, I fell in love with Ethiopia through this book. It felt like I was sitting in my balcony and visiting another country over a period of time. Somehow, despite all the irritants I have enumerated above, The Wife's Tale held me spellbound once I got going properly. I may want to read this again in a few years to see if I can make sense of what I missed this time. But the very fact that I am thinking this is testament to the author's ability to evoke a place and time to such a high degree. Glad I read this!
The narrative centres around the life of Yetemegnu, the author's grandmother. Born in Ethiopia in the 1920s, she was married off at the age of eight to a priest. He turned out to be controlling and abusive, but the couple had their tender moments as well. As regimes fall and other regimes take over, the events of the tumultuous 20th century affects Yetemegnu's life in myriad ways. The book follows her life in the context of history and provides both a micro and macro views of Ethiopia in the last century. It is Yetemegnu's eldest son, Edemariam, who migrated to Canada and had a daughter, Aida, who wrote this memoir.
There were many places in the book where I was confused. The author's writing style was deliberately obfuscating. There were many places where a single sentence could have given the context that readers not familiar with Ethiopia or Yetemegnu may lack. Events change in the blink of an eyelid and I had to keep turning back pages to check what happened - not that it helped! I ultimately resorted to Google to help clarify the wider context in which the events were taking place.
The addition of biblical phrases added nothing for me. At first, I read them diligently but eventually realised I simply had no context to make any connections and started skipping them. This made me feel I was losing out on something that was supposed to enhance my reading experience. Yetemegnu's dreams and her predictions are depicted as real (at least in the first half), which left me wondering if this was fact or fiction.
But, despite all the irritants, I fell in love with Ethiopia through this book. It felt like I was sitting in my balcony and visiting another country over a period of time. Somehow, despite all the irritants I have enumerated above, The Wife's Tale held me spellbound once I got going properly. I may want to read this again in a few years to see if I can make sense of what I missed this time. But the very fact that I am thinking this is testament to the author's ability to evoke a place and time to such a high degree. Glad I read this!
June 27, 2022
I think the best advice to a potential reader is to skip to the back of the book and look at the glossary and the timeline. For some reason the publisher decided to put this information at the back of the book instead of up with the map at the beginning in the book and it's to the books detriment. After being constantly confused during the reading, I did not encounter the glossary or the timeline until after I finished the book.
As other reviewers have stated, the book was in need of a family tree also.
The story itself I found to be a fascinating, complex piece of history and culture. I thought the author also did a very good job of portraying the main characters personality and documenting the huge cultural changes that occurred during her grandmother’s lifetime. What a tribute to her grandmother!
Not an easy read, but worth trying to read.
As other reviewers have stated, the book was in need of a family tree also.
The story itself I found to be a fascinating, complex piece of history and culture. I thought the author also did a very good job of portraying the main characters personality and documenting the huge cultural changes that occurred during her grandmother’s lifetime. What a tribute to her grandmother!
Not an easy read, but worth trying to read.
May 1, 2018
For anyone unfamiliar with the 20th century history of Ethiopia, this is a wonderful and mind-broadening introduction.
The prime focus of the book is Yetemegnu, who we are first introduced to on the day she is married off, at eight, to a man two decades her senior. Yetemegnu’s life encompassed most of the last century, and she was regularly caught up in the various turmoils her country went through.
The author is one of her granddaughters, and she has spent many years recording the stories her grandmother told, as well as learning from other members of her family what it was like to live through those decades.
Ethiopia and her citizens often seem worlds apart from anything we know, but humans are humans wherever they live, and the emotional life of Yetemegnu pours through the book. Too emotional, perhaps, for some Westerners. Her love is deep for her many children and grandchildren, though it’s not always reciprocated in equal terms.
Her love is even stronger for her husband, in spite of the occasional beatings he gives her, or his long absences (he is a priest whose career rises in status as he grows older), or even his treatment of her as his much-favoured child. For much of the first part of the book the reader feels there is little love between the two, but our feelings are wrong.
Woven into Yetemegnu’s story are the traditions and beliefs of the people. Christianity is their religion but it’s an unfamiliar form of it. Mary is the main focus, and Jesus is seldom mentioned.
The book is full of the wonder of food: spices are lovingly listed, meals described in detail, along with the courtesies that should be observed at mealtimes, especially with guests. The constant need to prepare food informs the daily rhythms of these people’s lives. Then there is the wondrous Ethiopian natural landscape, which has a blazing and sometimes terrifying life of its own.
Edemariam often requires the reader to make unexpected leaps from one paragraph to the next, and there are a number of side paths taken that add to the flavour of the book, though not always to its immediate comprehensibility. It might also have been helpful to have a list of the most prominent people in the story as the Ethiopian names aren’t always easy to remember.
Nevertheless, Edemariam's extensive research, and the ease with which she writes about a country that she personally knew only in the latter part of the 20th century, makes this a remarkable read.
The prime focus of the book is Yetemegnu, who we are first introduced to on the day she is married off, at eight, to a man two decades her senior. Yetemegnu’s life encompassed most of the last century, and she was regularly caught up in the various turmoils her country went through.
The author is one of her granddaughters, and she has spent many years recording the stories her grandmother told, as well as learning from other members of her family what it was like to live through those decades.
Ethiopia and her citizens often seem worlds apart from anything we know, but humans are humans wherever they live, and the emotional life of Yetemegnu pours through the book. Too emotional, perhaps, for some Westerners. Her love is deep for her many children and grandchildren, though it’s not always reciprocated in equal terms.
Her love is even stronger for her husband, in spite of the occasional beatings he gives her, or his long absences (he is a priest whose career rises in status as he grows older), or even his treatment of her as his much-favoured child. For much of the first part of the book the reader feels there is little love between the two, but our feelings are wrong.
Woven into Yetemegnu’s story are the traditions and beliefs of the people. Christianity is their religion but it’s an unfamiliar form of it. Mary is the main focus, and Jesus is seldom mentioned.
The book is full of the wonder of food: spices are lovingly listed, meals described in detail, along with the courtesies that should be observed at mealtimes, especially with guests. The constant need to prepare food informs the daily rhythms of these people’s lives. Then there is the wondrous Ethiopian natural landscape, which has a blazing and sometimes terrifying life of its own.
Edemariam often requires the reader to make unexpected leaps from one paragraph to the next, and there are a number of side paths taken that add to the flavour of the book, though not always to its immediate comprehensibility. It might also have been helpful to have a list of the most prominent people in the story as the Ethiopian names aren’t always easy to remember.
Nevertheless, Edemariam's extensive research, and the ease with which she writes about a country that she personally knew only in the latter part of the 20th century, makes this a remarkable read.
April 17, 2018
A chilling account of life in Ethiopia. I found it hard to follow and understand in places but overall a very interesting book.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
February 20, 2018
I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways and have chosen to give my honest opinion about it.
While definitely a touching story it almost seems like an overdone and cliched one. While I do recognize that this was the recounting of a true story, it seems as if it could have been better written; the writing style was confusing (for instance, it was hard to distinguish from the narrator and from her own thoughts). That being said, the events in this book are definitely inspiring and sometimes bittersweet, which is refreshing amidst the sea of other contemporary true stories.
While definitely a touching story it almost seems like an overdone and cliched one. While I do recognize that this was the recounting of a true story, it seems as if it could have been better written; the writing style was confusing (for instance, it was hard to distinguish from the narrator and from her own thoughts). That being said, the events in this book are definitely inspiring and sometimes bittersweet, which is refreshing amidst the sea of other contemporary true stories.
May 1, 2018
'A ring was threaded onto her third finger, another onto the man’s. It would be years before she understood what she had promised’
The Wife’s Tale, a personal history, is the story of one woman’s life growing up and growing old in her native home of Ethiopia. Written by Aida Edemariam, she recalls the stories that her grandmother, Yetemegnu, passed on to her about her life and the incredible changes she witnessed in her country.
Published by 4th Estate, The Wife’s Tale, is a tribute to Yetemegnu, a woman of great strength who survived wars and occupations.
I’ve been reading more non-fiction recently and when I received a copy of The Wife’s Tale earlier this year I knew it was a book that I wanted to make time for. There is something about a memoir that always invokes a feeling of immersion into somebody else’s life. As a reader you go on a journey through the thoughts and feelings of a stranger. It’s quite an honour to be able to do that and such is the case with Yetemegnu.
Married off before she even reached puberty, Yetemegnu was oblivious to what was happening. The man her family had chosen for her was a cleric, a man of the cloth, a man who had ambitions and hopes for his country, Ethiopia and their home city of Gondar. Yetemegnu was brought to his home, where she was treated with respect but was unable to partake in childish activities. She was there to learn how to cook, how to look after her husband, how to be a wife. Due to her position, she was unable to play with the local children, isolating her and creating a loneliness in the heart of one so young.
As the years passed, she witnessed changes in her country through wars, invasions and exile. As her husband’s voice got louder, his position in society grew, making their home a very busy one, where Yetemegnu cooked and provided for the many visitors that called.
We witness her difficulties in childbirth, each taking something of her away. Losing some her children caused her great sorrow and she ofttimes suffered from a malady, where her body felt inhabited by a spiritual being, the zar. When the zar was present, Yetemegnu’s family knew the signs. She would fall under the control of this possessive being, resulting in quite a terrifying experience for all involved.
As the years passed Yetemegnu’s family grew. With the Western world encroaching on their lives, we see the transition and changes. Ethiopia suffered famine, followed by a terrible hardship for it’s people. Her husband was arrested and remained incarcerated for quite some time. Yetemegnu fought for his release, which eventually did come, but he arrived home an unwell man.
Her children grew up and moved away. As much as she tried to keep them safe, with her at all times, eventually she had to acquiesce and watch them fly the coop.
Yetemegnu’s story is written by her grand-daughter, a journalist, who was born in Ethiopia but lived a very different life to that of her grandmother. Aida Edermariam has very clear recollections of Yetemegnu, a story she felt she world needed to read about. The story begins in 1916 and is divided into five sections, taking the reader right up to 1989. Within these sections, the reader is introduced to the many difficulties and happy moments of Yetemegnu’s life, alongside the monumental changes of a society and how it coped.
The narrative to The Wife’s Tale can be quite difficult to follow at times, as it is the voice of Yetemegnu we are hearing. Also there are numerous words and tribal associations that did create a little confusion for me. Aida Edemariam does include a glossary of terms and a chronology of important historical dates at the back of the book, which I do feel were very necessary.
The Wife’s Tale is a personal history of a very strong, brave and determined woman. Yetemegnu’s courage and conviction shines through from the pages. As mentioned previously it can a little hard to get to complete grips with her story at times, but this could also be down to my lack of knowledge about a country that has seen such upheaval and experienced so many transformations.
An interesting and informative tale. It is a book I am glad I took the time to read.
The Wife’s Tale, a personal history, is the story of one woman’s life growing up and growing old in her native home of Ethiopia. Written by Aida Edemariam, she recalls the stories that her grandmother, Yetemegnu, passed on to her about her life and the incredible changes she witnessed in her country.
Published by 4th Estate, The Wife’s Tale, is a tribute to Yetemegnu, a woman of great strength who survived wars and occupations.
I’ve been reading more non-fiction recently and when I received a copy of The Wife’s Tale earlier this year I knew it was a book that I wanted to make time for. There is something about a memoir that always invokes a feeling of immersion into somebody else’s life. As a reader you go on a journey through the thoughts and feelings of a stranger. It’s quite an honour to be able to do that and such is the case with Yetemegnu.
Married off before she even reached puberty, Yetemegnu was oblivious to what was happening. The man her family had chosen for her was a cleric, a man of the cloth, a man who had ambitions and hopes for his country, Ethiopia and their home city of Gondar. Yetemegnu was brought to his home, where she was treated with respect but was unable to partake in childish activities. She was there to learn how to cook, how to look after her husband, how to be a wife. Due to her position, she was unable to play with the local children, isolating her and creating a loneliness in the heart of one so young.
As the years passed, she witnessed changes in her country through wars, invasions and exile. As her husband’s voice got louder, his position in society grew, making their home a very busy one, where Yetemegnu cooked and provided for the many visitors that called.
We witness her difficulties in childbirth, each taking something of her away. Losing some her children caused her great sorrow and she ofttimes suffered from a malady, where her body felt inhabited by a spiritual being, the zar. When the zar was present, Yetemegnu’s family knew the signs. She would fall under the control of this possessive being, resulting in quite a terrifying experience for all involved.
As the years passed Yetemegnu’s family grew. With the Western world encroaching on their lives, we see the transition and changes. Ethiopia suffered famine, followed by a terrible hardship for it’s people. Her husband was arrested and remained incarcerated for quite some time. Yetemegnu fought for his release, which eventually did come, but he arrived home an unwell man.
Her children grew up and moved away. As much as she tried to keep them safe, with her at all times, eventually she had to acquiesce and watch them fly the coop.
Yetemegnu’s story is written by her grand-daughter, a journalist, who was born in Ethiopia but lived a very different life to that of her grandmother. Aida Edermariam has very clear recollections of Yetemegnu, a story she felt she world needed to read about. The story begins in 1916 and is divided into five sections, taking the reader right up to 1989. Within these sections, the reader is introduced to the many difficulties and happy moments of Yetemegnu’s life, alongside the monumental changes of a society and how it coped.
The narrative to The Wife’s Tale can be quite difficult to follow at times, as it is the voice of Yetemegnu we are hearing. Also there are numerous words and tribal associations that did create a little confusion for me. Aida Edemariam does include a glossary of terms and a chronology of important historical dates at the back of the book, which I do feel were very necessary.
The Wife’s Tale is a personal history of a very strong, brave and determined woman. Yetemegnu’s courage and conviction shines through from the pages. As mentioned previously it can a little hard to get to complete grips with her story at times, but this could also be down to my lack of knowledge about a country that has seen such upheaval and experienced so many transformations.
An interesting and informative tale. It is a book I am glad I took the time to read.
August 15, 2021
I really struggled with this one. Multiple times while reading it I put it down thinking I probably would not pick it back up again, however as it was about a culture I knew very little about and times in history I also didn’t know I kept returning to it hoping to learn. What I think really didn’t work for me was that while I read about what happened to the people by the end I still did not know the people. It felt like reading a history only (which maybe because it is a biography/ memoir), there was very little emotion or thoughts, hopes, dreams, disappointments of the characters displayed. It was a story that should have held great emotion, yet none was shown. Maybe this in itself should have said a lot too but for me it just made it fall flat. The disjointed narrative was also a bit tricky to follow. While I didn’t particularly enjoy this it has made me want to research Ethiopia and find other books set within the country.
April 3, 2019
This story is about the author's 95 year old grandmother who grew up in Ethiopia. The story begins as 8 year old Yetemegnu is married to a man 20 years older than her. Apparently, this is not uncommon in Ethiopia 100 years ago.
There is an incident whereby Yetemegnu supposedly is thought to have a goiter on her neck. Treatment follows that is unbelievably cruel and painful. There are many superstitions and weird beliefs among her people. She gives birth to her first child at age 14. She suffers from great loneliness and felt that children filled the gap for her.
The terrible suffering of Yetemegnu is so obvious throughout this book - suffering while in labor, fevers, illness. It is very difficult to believe that she survived all her difficult ordeals. To top it off, there is spousal abuse interspersed throughout as well.
I found this book very difficult to read. The writing style did not make sense to me until I read about 100 pages and the horrible life suffered by Yetemegnu weighed heavily on me. Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a copy of this book.
There is an incident whereby Yetemegnu supposedly is thought to have a goiter on her neck. Treatment follows that is unbelievably cruel and painful. There are many superstitions and weird beliefs among her people. She gives birth to her first child at age 14. She suffers from great loneliness and felt that children filled the gap for her.
The terrible suffering of Yetemegnu is so obvious throughout this book - suffering while in labor, fevers, illness. It is very difficult to believe that she survived all her difficult ordeals. To top it off, there is spousal abuse interspersed throughout as well.
I found this book very difficult to read. The writing style did not make sense to me until I read about 100 pages and the horrible life suffered by Yetemegnu weighed heavily on me. Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a copy of this book.
Want to read
February 3, 2018I was really looking forward to reading this book when I won it through GoodReads. I began reading the book and it was incredibly hard to even get through about 40 pages. I could not seem to follow the story. It seemed to jump all over the place. I finally just gave up as the book seemed to make no sense whatsoever. Really disappointed. Definitely will not be recommending this book to anyone.
July 14, 2019
3 1/2 stars. This book contains some beautiful prose and some striking glimpses into the domestic life of Edemariam’s grandmother, Yetemegnu, her life encompassed the 20th century (and all its turbulence) in Ethiopia.
My prior knowledge of Ethiopia, its geography, history and people was limited to a vague awareness of coups, civil wars, drought and famine. This book has given me a much greater understanding of alternative perspectives. A country with an abundance of produce, deeply rooted Christian beliefs entwined with myths and the spirit world and a strong sense of family pride.
While I could picture the daily vistas and could, to some extent, follow the broad brushstrokes of her history I struggled to understand the unfolding political events and the interactions she had with the religious and political figures with whom she met. The oblique (illusory) descriptions of these events made it hard to follow what was actually happening. The time line was also very general and sometimes I felt like it wasn’t chronological or was backtracking to an earlier event.
Yetemegnu developed from a young vulnerable girl into a woman; she fought to provide for and protect her children despite her illiteracy and lack of position in a male dominated society. I felt confused about her relationship with her husband, who was clearly abusive and controlling, but for whom she risked a great deal to seek support and obtain his release from prison.
About half way through I nearly gave up. Unfamiliar names, dates and events were a little jumbled in my mind but I persevered and found the second half (where the author’s parents enter the story as adults) a lot easier to follow. I think this book would benefit from a short forward giving some context of Ethiopian history to which I could have grounded this story.
My prior knowledge of Ethiopia, its geography, history and people was limited to a vague awareness of coups, civil wars, drought and famine. This book has given me a much greater understanding of alternative perspectives. A country with an abundance of produce, deeply rooted Christian beliefs entwined with myths and the spirit world and a strong sense of family pride.
While I could picture the daily vistas and could, to some extent, follow the broad brushstrokes of her history I struggled to understand the unfolding political events and the interactions she had with the religious and political figures with whom she met. The oblique (illusory) descriptions of these events made it hard to follow what was actually happening. The time line was also very general and sometimes I felt like it wasn’t chronological or was backtracking to an earlier event.
Yetemegnu developed from a young vulnerable girl into a woman; she fought to provide for and protect her children despite her illiteracy and lack of position in a male dominated society. I felt confused about her relationship with her husband, who was clearly abusive and controlling, but for whom she risked a great deal to seek support and obtain his release from prison.
About half way through I nearly gave up. Unfamiliar names, dates and events were a little jumbled in my mind but I persevered and found the second half (where the author’s parents enter the story as adults) a lot easier to follow. I think this book would benefit from a short forward giving some context of Ethiopian history to which I could have grounded this story.
October 20, 2021
This is a hard one to rate. It was very interesting, but the writing style wasn't for me. The author wrote a biography of her Ethiopian grandmother, who lived through almost a century of turbulent history, based on stories her grandmother used to tell her. Sometimes she included a level of detail that she couldn't have known from stories. The language at times was beyond flowery, and at other times seemed to be lacking essential details. But the history was amazing. Married at the age of eight to a man over twenty years her senior, her grandmother became a mother at fourteen, and lived through the time of emperors, the invasion and occupation of Ethiopia by Italian Fascists, the Allied bombing and liberation, the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie, the communist revolution, devastating famine, and eventual peace. I learned a lot about Ethiopia and about Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, of which her husband was in the priesthood. There is a handy timeline and glossary at the back of the book that should have been at the front. Reading was so much easier after I discovered these. This is a beautiful tribute to the author's grandmother and to Ethiopia, but it is also unnecessarily confusing. Three and a half stars generously rounded up to four because I learned so much.
March 29, 2018
The Wife's Tale: A Personal History is written in a style that truly reminds me of the Bible. The form it takes is so high and mighty that it plods along from era to era in Aida Edemariam's personal history. I just wish there had been a personal voice in this epic - there was such potential for a melody to string each "month" together. But the whole books seems to have been lost in tradition. Dry, repetitive, and one-dimensional are three words I would use to describe this book, unfortunately.
May 13, 2019
Edited to add: This work just won the 2019 Ondaatje Prize for “best spirit of place” (in this case Ethiopia) Congratulations!
Shortlisted for the 2019 Ondaatje Prize, which rewards the literary work of
any genre that best evokes a “spirit of place”, this book is a biography of the author’s grandmother, who lived in Ethiopia for most of the 20th century. It describes Ethiopian culture and history through wars, colonization and finally Independence.
https://rsliterature.org/award/rsl-on...
Shortlisted for the 2019 Ondaatje Prize, which rewards the literary work of
any genre that best evokes a “spirit of place”, this book is a biography of the author’s grandmother, who lived in Ethiopia for most of the 20th century. It describes Ethiopian culture and history through wars, colonization and finally Independence.
https://rsliterature.org/award/rsl-on...
February 10, 2020
Oh god how hard it was to navigate through that story. It's description was very interesting yet I got a repetitive fragments, small history hints and a lot of vague story which was meant to be personal, but seemed only a shadows of such to me. The epilogue, when the author talks more directly about her feelings and her family was the most clear and enjoyable part of the book.
The form of an audiobook was also a pain for me - the voiceover irritated me so much with the shouting and fake accents. It was impossible to focus for me.
The form of an audiobook was also a pain for me - the voiceover irritated me so much with the shouting and fake accents. It was impossible to focus for me.
July 15, 2021
I didn't really get into this until Yetemegnu started narrating halfway through (couldn't fully hear/picture her while she was passive) but really liked the non-fiction telling of Ethiopia's history wrapped up in the story of her daily life.
February 23, 2018
Initially this book reminded me so much of Tolkien’s “Silmarillion” – a fabulous land with so much history, excerpts from ancient religious scrolls, weird rituals, poetry, feasting, bible-like prose … It was all just so alien to me – not just another time, but another place – another world. This was not helped by the main action taking place in a province called Gondar (c.f. Tolkien’s Gondor!). I had to keep reminding myself that this was a real story about a real person.
The other thing that struck me forcibly, was that this Ethiopia was a land of great wealth, verdant countryside and limitless food – a far cry from the usual media portrayal of starving masses on a baked mud desert. Later in the book, after civil wars and communist clampdowns, that image did rear its ugly head. The landscape of Ethiopia seemed like a paradise – if only the horrors of war and government mismanagement had not occurred. Perhaps in the future, this paradise may rise again.
However, this image of Ethiopia was portrayed by a girl/lady from a well-off family, one who always had servants, and initially even slaves. There is little mention of the physical hardships that the poorer classes may have suffered.
The old Ethiopia was an absolute monarchy ruled by an aristocratic and by a clerical elite, hidebound by religion and tradition, despite a few attempts at modernisation and education by later rulers. It is in this stifling, misogynist world that Yetemegnu lived most of her long woe-filled life: “When were you happy? I asked once. I’m never happy, came the answer, I’m always crying. All of my life is painted in tears.”
Yetemegnu’s story begins with her marriage – aged 8 (!!!) to a much older, very ambitious priest. She understood little of the ceremony, and little of what was required of her. With marriage she suddenly became a lady, who must always act in ways that will reflect positively on the standing of her husband: ���When he was out the servants took charge, bossing her about the house like the child she still was, letting her help, yet refusing to play games with her because, being married, she was no longer a child.” Sometimes, her husband seemed to be kind and considerate – though only in private, and only when her actions could not lower his reputation. When she forgot her duties and went outside to play or dance or visit, her husband beat her – as was his right.
Her two main jobs appeared to be as brood mare (ten pregnancies brought to term!), and a perpetual supplier of food: “It was obvious to her that her husband had no idea how much labour he was creating when he brought yet another man home and said, he’s been working, let him eat” and she would think “this church is killing me”. Religion was one of her few comforts, but also a rod for her back, as she strove to support her husband’s upward climb.
Religion was used by the Italian invaders to subdue the masses, by Emperor Hailè Selassie to secure his return, and above all, by the clergy to maintain their grip on the wealth of the country: “And above them all the perfunctory deacons crouching, pouring the blessed water, and then, as midday approached, intoning – one eye on the takings and another on lunch – the acts of the saints and the Miracles of Mary.”
It was only with the death of her husband, “that finally she had a choice when it came to men, and she chose no.” She continued to think “that things were a certain way because that was how they had always been and always would be” but was able to allow her children (except her oldest girl) to take advantage of modern education and to choose their own paths – even when she had misgivings about their choices.
I did like reading Yetemegnu’s story, but was more interested in the politics and historical changes taking place, and would have liked more on that.
The writing was exceptional, with striking imagery. There was a lot of repetition in the depiction of the private sphere, but that did serve to underscore the unrelenting dullness and constrictions of Yetemegnu’s life.
This is a fascinating book, but lengthy. It is written with love, and a desire to ensure that the changing face of Ethiopia, as seen through the eyes of Yetemegnu, is remembered.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The other thing that struck me forcibly, was that this Ethiopia was a land of great wealth, verdant countryside and limitless food – a far cry from the usual media portrayal of starving masses on a baked mud desert. Later in the book, after civil wars and communist clampdowns, that image did rear its ugly head. The landscape of Ethiopia seemed like a paradise – if only the horrors of war and government mismanagement had not occurred. Perhaps in the future, this paradise may rise again.
However, this image of Ethiopia was portrayed by a girl/lady from a well-off family, one who always had servants, and initially even slaves. There is little mention of the physical hardships that the poorer classes may have suffered.
The old Ethiopia was an absolute monarchy ruled by an aristocratic and by a clerical elite, hidebound by religion and tradition, despite a few attempts at modernisation and education by later rulers. It is in this stifling, misogynist world that Yetemegnu lived most of her long woe-filled life: “When were you happy? I asked once. I’m never happy, came the answer, I’m always crying. All of my life is painted in tears.”
Yetemegnu’s story begins with her marriage – aged 8 (!!!) to a much older, very ambitious priest. She understood little of the ceremony, and little of what was required of her. With marriage she suddenly became a lady, who must always act in ways that will reflect positively on the standing of her husband: ���When he was out the servants took charge, bossing her about the house like the child she still was, letting her help, yet refusing to play games with her because, being married, she was no longer a child.” Sometimes, her husband seemed to be kind and considerate – though only in private, and only when her actions could not lower his reputation. When she forgot her duties and went outside to play or dance or visit, her husband beat her – as was his right.
Her two main jobs appeared to be as brood mare (ten pregnancies brought to term!), and a perpetual supplier of food: “It was obvious to her that her husband had no idea how much labour he was creating when he brought yet another man home and said, he’s been working, let him eat” and she would think “this church is killing me”. Religion was one of her few comforts, but also a rod for her back, as she strove to support her husband’s upward climb.
Religion was used by the Italian invaders to subdue the masses, by Emperor Hailè Selassie to secure his return, and above all, by the clergy to maintain their grip on the wealth of the country: “And above them all the perfunctory deacons crouching, pouring the blessed water, and then, as midday approached, intoning – one eye on the takings and another on lunch – the acts of the saints and the Miracles of Mary.”
It was only with the death of her husband, “that finally she had a choice when it came to men, and she chose no.” She continued to think “that things were a certain way because that was how they had always been and always would be” but was able to allow her children (except her oldest girl) to take advantage of modern education and to choose their own paths – even when she had misgivings about their choices.
I did like reading Yetemegnu’s story, but was more interested in the politics and historical changes taking place, and would have liked more on that.
The writing was exceptional, with striking imagery. There was a lot of repetition in the depiction of the private sphere, but that did serve to underscore the unrelenting dullness and constrictions of Yetemegnu’s life.
This is a fascinating book, but lengthy. It is written with love, and a desire to ensure that the changing face of Ethiopia, as seen through the eyes of Yetemegnu, is remembered.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
March 9, 2018
I received an uncorrected proof copy of this book from HarperCollins.
This memoir tells the life story of the author's grandmother, Yetemegnu, who was born in Gondar, Ethiopia in 1916 and was married at the age of nine to a man many years her senior. Yetemegnu endured numerous trials including becoming a mother at the age of 14, the death of several of her children, her husband's imprisonment, and widowhood at a young age with several young children under care. She lived through the Fascist invasion of Ethiopia, Allied bombardment, and a violent revolution. Through it all her steadfast faith and love and devotion to her family shine through.
It was shocking reading about a child married off so young that guests would assume she was the daughter of the house and would be shocked to discover she was actually the mistress. Her education stopped at the time of her marriage so she never learned to read until she was an advanced age much later in life. Although her husband was an important religious leader and a good father, he was not a man of her choosing and he raised her the young girl to be the wife he wanted, with strict rules and harsh punishment when she failed him in his eyes. For example, if she defied his orders to stay at home by venturing to a neighbor's house to borrow cooking supplies, she was beaten upon her return. Little wonder that when she finally gained independence through her husband's unfortunate death, she chose not to remarry. "How to tell him that finally she had a choice when it came to men, and she chose no?" (193).
I have read little about Ethiopia, so reading Yetemegnu's story also gave me a history lesson in the country itself and one example of what life was like there in the twentieth century. Yetemegnu's oldest son went to medical school in Canada and married a Canadian woman. It is their daughter who became the author and captured her grandmother's remarkable life story in this book. "Wife, mother - imposed roles, unquestioned and in her time unquestionable; passive, in a way, however fully inhabited and lovingly dispatched. She gave her daughters and granddaughters the chance of something different, and in making that gift separated them from her in fundamental ways" (295).
This memoir tells the life story of the author's grandmother, Yetemegnu, who was born in Gondar, Ethiopia in 1916 and was married at the age of nine to a man many years her senior. Yetemegnu endured numerous trials including becoming a mother at the age of 14, the death of several of her children, her husband's imprisonment, and widowhood at a young age with several young children under care. She lived through the Fascist invasion of Ethiopia, Allied bombardment, and a violent revolution. Through it all her steadfast faith and love and devotion to her family shine through.
It was shocking reading about a child married off so young that guests would assume she was the daughter of the house and would be shocked to discover she was actually the mistress. Her education stopped at the time of her marriage so she never learned to read until she was an advanced age much later in life. Although her husband was an important religious leader and a good father, he was not a man of her choosing and he raised her the young girl to be the wife he wanted, with strict rules and harsh punishment when she failed him in his eyes. For example, if she defied his orders to stay at home by venturing to a neighbor's house to borrow cooking supplies, she was beaten upon her return. Little wonder that when she finally gained independence through her husband's unfortunate death, she chose not to remarry. "How to tell him that finally she had a choice when it came to men, and she chose no?" (193).
I have read little about Ethiopia, so reading Yetemegnu's story also gave me a history lesson in the country itself and one example of what life was like there in the twentieth century. Yetemegnu's oldest son went to medical school in Canada and married a Canadian woman. It is their daughter who became the author and captured her grandmother's remarkable life story in this book. "Wife, mother - imposed roles, unquestioned and in her time unquestionable; passive, in a way, however fully inhabited and lovingly dispatched. She gave her daughters and granddaughters the chance of something different, and in making that gift separated them from her in fundamental ways" (295).
June 11, 2019
In this wonderful biography of her grandmother, Edemariam aptly takes the reader through not one but several interwoven journeys - her family's with at the centre her grandmother Yetemegnu; Ethiopia's, from the beginning of the 20th century and the Empire of Haile Selassie through to the Derg, and the EPLF, to the beginning of the 21st century; and lastly the people's, Ethiopians of all ages, social statuses, political backgrounds.
It is a spiritual journey we are take on. Married according to tradition at the age of eight, the wife of an Orthodox Christian priest, Edemariam's grandmother is a devout Christian, and lives her existence punctuated by the Christian holy days in Ethiopia. Prayers, fasting, love of family and solidarity with neighbours characterise her days, as well as a love of flowers, and all things nature. We see her evolution into the wife of a holy man, whom despite his own weaknesses, is indeed a pillar of the community. Yetemegnu is forced to grow into her own defender and main pillar of the family when her husband dies, imprisoned unjustly by the authorities.
The book is imbued with Ethiopian spirit, the clothes, the shemmas, the description of Church rituals, the coffee ceremonies, the dancing and the pervasive smell of incense. But also the women wrapped in Ethiopian cotton standing on the corners of Churches, praying, fasting, through 13-month long years, the monks and priests in their beautiful robes, the umbrellas, dais and Books written in Ge'ez. The cooking of injeera, the feasts with relatives, the weddings, children, snapshots of everyday life one can still witness in today's Ethiopia.
I loved this book because it stands on its own terms, doesn't impose any unnecessary description, but takes us through a century-long journey of events and facts never forgetting the essence of the woman, her fears and desires, her love, passions and fiesty spirit, her presence of mind and wisdom carried through to other generations of women and men. And through it all we have a wonderful historical testimony of the life and times of so many people, filling the huge gaps left by historians of the small things that make up a normal and yet extraordinary life. 5 stars for lyricism and poetry.
It is a spiritual journey we are take on. Married according to tradition at the age of eight, the wife of an Orthodox Christian priest, Edemariam's grandmother is a devout Christian, and lives her existence punctuated by the Christian holy days in Ethiopia. Prayers, fasting, love of family and solidarity with neighbours characterise her days, as well as a love of flowers, and all things nature. We see her evolution into the wife of a holy man, whom despite his own weaknesses, is indeed a pillar of the community. Yetemegnu is forced to grow into her own defender and main pillar of the family when her husband dies, imprisoned unjustly by the authorities.
The book is imbued with Ethiopian spirit, the clothes, the shemmas, the description of Church rituals, the coffee ceremonies, the dancing and the pervasive smell of incense. But also the women wrapped in Ethiopian cotton standing on the corners of Churches, praying, fasting, through 13-month long years, the monks and priests in their beautiful robes, the umbrellas, dais and Books written in Ge'ez. The cooking of injeera, the feasts with relatives, the weddings, children, snapshots of everyday life one can still witness in today's Ethiopia.
I loved this book because it stands on its own terms, doesn't impose any unnecessary description, but takes us through a century-long journey of events and facts never forgetting the essence of the woman, her fears and desires, her love, passions and fiesty spirit, her presence of mind and wisdom carried through to other generations of women and men. And through it all we have a wonderful historical testimony of the life and times of so many people, filling the huge gaps left by historians of the small things that make up a normal and yet extraordinary life. 5 stars for lyricism and poetry.
June 4, 2018
A young girl delights in the memories her nanny recounts: "Pushing her on, as I did more and more often, knowing many of the stories, but knowing also that there were more, told and retold for decades, shaped, reshaped - or sometimes, when enough time had passed - cracked open in the telling." The curious grandchild asks: "When were you happy?" and the answer is honest and succinct. A prologue to an eventful life: "I'm never happy," came the answer, "I'm always crying. All of my life is painted in tears."
Yetemegn's tale is told through the words of her granddaughter, and journalist, Aida Edemariam. The memoir begins with the traditional wedding ceremony between eight-year-old Yetemegn and a man who is two decades her senior. For years, she hides when she hears him return from his travels. She is treated "like the child she still was", yet soon learns the roles required of a wife. Banned from learning to read or write, as she is thought "too impressionable, too prone to tears", she instead learns to become a woizero (lady) and provides food and hospitality for the many visitors her deacon husband brings to their home. She is confined to the house and punished if she leaves. Her husband is violent at times, yet tender and loving at others.
At 14, Yetemegn delivers the first of many children and her husband proves to be a caring father. However, Ethiopia is riding a wave of turbulent times: a continued struggle to avoid colonisation; the stripping of the church's feudal power; devastating famine; revolution and the abolition of monarchy.
When her husband is falsely imprisoned for treason, she finds inner strength which belies her delicate exterior. Her circumstances change, yet the young mother remains stoic; devoted to her family. The book is rather let down by the ever-increasing biblical passages and dream-sequences but the sights, sounds and tastes of Ethiopia keep the story alive.
Yetemegn's tale is told through the words of her granddaughter, and journalist, Aida Edemariam. The memoir begins with the traditional wedding ceremony between eight-year-old Yetemegn and a man who is two decades her senior. For years, she hides when she hears him return from his travels. She is treated "like the child she still was", yet soon learns the roles required of a wife. Banned from learning to read or write, as she is thought "too impressionable, too prone to tears", she instead learns to become a woizero (lady) and provides food and hospitality for the many visitors her deacon husband brings to their home. She is confined to the house and punished if she leaves. Her husband is violent at times, yet tender and loving at others.
At 14, Yetemegn delivers the first of many children and her husband proves to be a caring father. However, Ethiopia is riding a wave of turbulent times: a continued struggle to avoid colonisation; the stripping of the church's feudal power; devastating famine; revolution and the abolition of monarchy.
When her husband is falsely imprisoned for treason, she finds inner strength which belies her delicate exterior. Her circumstances change, yet the young mother remains stoic; devoted to her family. The book is rather let down by the ever-increasing biblical passages and dream-sequences but the sights, sounds and tastes of Ethiopia keep the story alive.
February 13, 2018
A complicated personal history of Ethiopian Yètèmegn Mèkonnen; one hundred years of life retold by her granddaughter Aida Edemariam. Yètemegn is born in Ethiopia in the early 1900s to reasonably well off parents and married off at the ripe old age of eight to a man almost in his thirties, an ambitious priest named Tsèga Teshale. Yètèmegn will have 10 children by him and weather revolutions, famine, Tsèga's unjust imprisonment, his death and the deaths of several of their children. Despite not being able to read, she makes it her personal mission to clear his name and regain their family home and lands, taking on the court system to win back the house they built together from the priests who stole it after he was imprisoned. Edemariam weaves her grandmother's story in amongst the seasonal changes, cultural events, and political machinations Ethiopia endured from 1916 to 2013 and speckles the whole work with the legends, hymns, and religious passages that would have informed and governed Yètèmegn's days. Some of it I was baffled by; the unexplained ritual early on in Yètèmegn's marriage where her neck is daubed with a dark cooked paste of soot, kohl and oil seeds and the marks are then tattooed on with a needle was obviously something she was enraged and horrified by, but I lacked the necessary background to understand what was happening or why she reacted the way she did. But overall, the cultural gap is tidily bridged by Edemariam. Her skill, and Yètèmegn's courage and spirit, will linger with you long after you finish this book.
December 30, 2019
Edemariam's creative "personal history" is also a sweeping view of nearly a century of change in Ethiopia. At the center is the author's grandmother, Yetemegnu. Edemariam's years of reading and research fill the book with detail so rich that reading the book is a sensual experience.
Ironically, Yetemegnu's liberation as an independent woman comes because her cleric husband is imprisoned on false charges. Married as a child, she is freed of the confinement he has imposed on her. Drawing on her innate courage, she becomes author of her own life, while working tirelessly to free her husband.
Edemariam's portrait of her grandmother is an extraordinary paean to a woman whose strength, spirituality, and generosity nourished not only her own children but the hundreds around her who turned to her for hospitality or aid.
Ironically, Yetemegnu's liberation as an independent woman comes because her cleric husband is imprisoned on false charges. Married as a child, she is freed of the confinement he has imposed on her. Drawing on her innate courage, she becomes author of her own life, while working tirelessly to free her husband.
Edemariam's portrait of her grandmother is an extraordinary paean to a woman whose strength, spirituality, and generosity nourished not only her own children but the hundreds around her who turned to her for hospitality or aid.
December 6, 2020
By I'm finished, I mean I stopped. I just couldn't keep going. I read this as part of a WSU alumni book club. I diligently tried to read all the extras and participate in discussions--- and I very much wanted to like this book---- but I couldn't connect with it at all. The Wife in the Wife's tale is an amazing woman--- married off at age 8--- raised several children-- lived through many parts of Ethiopian history. This is usually the kind of book I enjoy---but I somehow could not connect with this character. Everything seemed distanced--- like I could never really understand what she was feeling or going through. It may be that my brain is pandemic fuzzy. I may try again later.
February 22, 2018
I love historical stories and even better when a true one. I was intrigued by the description of this biography of the history of Ethiopian Yètèmegn Mèkonnenas told by her granddaughter Aida Edemariam. Yètemegn is born in the early 1900s into a respected family. However, she is married off before she is 10 to an older man - a priest. This is Yètèmegn's story taking us from 1916 to 2013. A book of strength, justice and courage with a fascinating insight into the culture, history and politics of Ethiopia over 100 years. A good read if a little hard to follow at times.
May 23, 2020
I received this book for free through Goodreads. I struggled to get through this book and found it hard to follow and often was confused as to what was going on since it seemed to jump around so much from one time to another, from one person to another... The good part of the book was that there was a glossary and time line at the back so that helped with the reading of unfamiliar Ethiopian events and customs.
March 31, 2018
Won this book from Goodreads. Enjoyed this personal history from childhood to her death, all the trials and tribulations she went through, the love for her family and country. Thank you for sharing her life story.
March 2, 2018
Received a copy of A Wife's Tale by Aida Edemariam through the GoodReads giveaway program in exchange for an honest review
A Wife's Tale by Aida Edemariam tells a story of an unyielding woman named Yètèmegnu during a troubling time in Ethiopia as a country and a city of Gondar that is dead set in their ways when it comes to tradition and rituals but also must deal with the threat of an occupation of their country in the not-to-distant future. A very different regime than that of Ethiopia is looking to strike first in the offensive in commencing the second Italo-Ethiopian War and a brewing insurgency that would develop over time. By the time the lead character had reached the age of eight-years-old, predating the time she had even learned the alphabet or toppled her nighttime issue of bedwetting, she was being married off to a thirty-year-old student and aspiring priest named Alèqa Tsega who had little to his name but promise of religion and creativity being the driving force behind their future prosperity. It wasn’t long soon after that her mother would die leaving a little girl without her mom and a new wife left with no one she could trust to get advice on how to roll with the barrage of punches that are at times an expectation of a forced marriage. By the time she reaches the ripe old age of twelve Yètèmegnu realizes she is alone with no life and an unclear future, still a child at heart she often hides wishing she were alone but by fourteen she would be resigned to doing the housework, having her first child and a life of motherhood as her purpose.
As days become weeks and months turn into years Yètèmegnu slowly begins to feel the estrangement from her family that her husband has subtly imposed. It seems as though he keeps her very busy utilizing an extreme methodology, after one child is born another is conceived and after the birth of three girls, well a husband needs a boy and a family name needs to be carried on, insert baby number four. What Yètèmegnu’s husband Tsega doesn’t realize is that her children may be an answer to her loneliness and a force of strength she had been searching for. As Tsega becomes more respected as a priest he spends more time in the capital Addis Ababa but more importantly away from the home providing a reprieve from the frequent emotional and occasional physical abuse. While disease ravages the country the populations spiritual guides become under fire as churches are targeted for destruction and holy figures are executed. It isn’t until an announcement is made by the government to protect these buildings and facilities that order is restored but the home that they had to leave would not be the home that they would remember. As the Italian occupation begins to stabilize and government red tape is all over the country, Tsega's mentors and fellow holy men are getting picked off one by one, he begins to ingratiate himself with the opposition insuring his safety and the appointment of the administrator of a number of churches across the country. As they settle back in to their home their son succumbs to a fever and the parents begin breaking down but not without the birth of their seventh child. It has come to a point that every parent fears and swears on their firstborn that they would never sink too, but desperate times call for desperate measures and Yètèmegnu must find a way to support her family even if it means doing something that would make her think twice about looking in the mirror. As Tsega garners more responsibility outside of the home it allows Yètèmegnu to test the boundaries of her newfound freedom and regaining her sense of belonging to the world in a now militarized country.
With no excuses to be found, Yètèmegnu becomes the one responsible for the welcoming parties and social gatherings of the church. While her husband schmoozes the congregation, kissing hands and shaking babies, Yètèmegnu must make it all work while keeping house. Just when it seems that the climate has calmed, a politically-motivated stunt finds Tsega imprisoned, malnourished and begging for death to take him. Much like modern day North Korea Yètèmegnu goes to the high courts, even the emperor to get her husband freed, and after four months of torture and other maltreatment he’s allowed to go free but would finish his life feeling betrayed by the church he built and wouldn’t live to see vindication or the world he left behind.
As much as this is a personal history of a grandmother's life it is a granddaughter’s retelling of stories about her grandmother's lost childhood, public executions, parenthood, being a young widow, outliving many of her children and other tragedies; it is also an account of a country in strife, invasion, revolution, as well as a fall of a beloved emperor. Through it all she lived even when she was more than willing to die, pleading with God to take her but her request falling on deaf ears because there was a greater purpose for her, she just needed to reap the power to act on it. Overall I was not enthralled with this book, it started off quite jumbled and had little flow throughout the remaining pages making it a very difficult book to follow. When dealing with subject matter of this magnitude I would believe the author would want the reader to sympathize with the character, which I did, but also dislike the antagonist, which I felt confused by as feelings seemed to change as years passed that directly contrasted my own value system and made it hard to justify. What this book does demonstrate is the power of women in an oppressive environment and the willingness to forgive when revenge is at the heart of clearing the family name.
A Wife's Tale by Aida Edemariam tells a story of an unyielding woman named Yètèmegnu during a troubling time in Ethiopia as a country and a city of Gondar that is dead set in their ways when it comes to tradition and rituals but also must deal with the threat of an occupation of their country in the not-to-distant future. A very different regime than that of Ethiopia is looking to strike first in the offensive in commencing the second Italo-Ethiopian War and a brewing insurgency that would develop over time. By the time the lead character had reached the age of eight-years-old, predating the time she had even learned the alphabet or toppled her nighttime issue of bedwetting, she was being married off to a thirty-year-old student and aspiring priest named Alèqa Tsega who had little to his name but promise of religion and creativity being the driving force behind their future prosperity. It wasn’t long soon after that her mother would die leaving a little girl without her mom and a new wife left with no one she could trust to get advice on how to roll with the barrage of punches that are at times an expectation of a forced marriage. By the time she reaches the ripe old age of twelve Yètèmegnu realizes she is alone with no life and an unclear future, still a child at heart she often hides wishing she were alone but by fourteen she would be resigned to doing the housework, having her first child and a life of motherhood as her purpose.
“Occasionally she raised her eyes from the ground or the dish she was serving to glance at her husband. She saw that he was a listener, and a watcher, a man who knew the power of silence and of a quiet, steady voice. She saw his thoughtful courtesy, in these days when he was working assiduously to consolidate his position; saw his veiled pride; knew , even if he did not show it, his foreigner's anxiety, the insecurity of recent arrival (though he had now been in Gondar for over two decades), his need to be prove himself better, more worthy, accepted.”
As days become weeks and months turn into years Yètèmegnu slowly begins to feel the estrangement from her family that her husband has subtly imposed. It seems as though he keeps her very busy utilizing an extreme methodology, after one child is born another is conceived and after the birth of three girls, well a husband needs a boy and a family name needs to be carried on, insert baby number four. What Yètèmegnu’s husband Tsega doesn’t realize is that her children may be an answer to her loneliness and a force of strength she had been searching for. As Tsega becomes more respected as a priest he spends more time in the capital Addis Ababa but more importantly away from the home providing a reprieve from the frequent emotional and occasional physical abuse. While disease ravages the country the populations spiritual guides become under fire as churches are targeted for destruction and holy figures are executed. It isn’t until an announcement is made by the government to protect these buildings and facilities that order is restored but the home that they had to leave would not be the home that they would remember. As the Italian occupation begins to stabilize and government red tape is all over the country, Tsega's mentors and fellow holy men are getting picked off one by one, he begins to ingratiate himself with the opposition insuring his safety and the appointment of the administrator of a number of churches across the country. As they settle back in to their home their son succumbs to a fever and the parents begin breaking down but not without the birth of their seventh child. It has come to a point that every parent fears and swears on their firstborn that they would never sink too, but desperate times call for desperate measures and Yètèmegnu must find a way to support her family even if it means doing something that would make her think twice about looking in the mirror. As Tsega garners more responsibility outside of the home it allows Yètèmegnu to test the boundaries of her newfound freedom and regaining her sense of belonging to the world in a now militarized country.
“That night, and then night after night, she prayed, not always sure what exactly she was praying for. For the emperor, as for a fallible father who had done much good as well as ill. For Princess Tenangeqerq, arrested at her home on New Year's Day, as for a relative, a kind patron, or an impersonal royal? For her suddenly unrecognizable? Was it hope she felt, or fear, or grief, or some impossible combination of all three? Fear for her children, certainly, for their health and for their safety. She prayed that Mary would always intercede for them, would remember that every one of them was named after her, wherever they might be?”
With no excuses to be found, Yètèmegnu becomes the one responsible for the welcoming parties and social gatherings of the church. While her husband schmoozes the congregation, kissing hands and shaking babies, Yètèmegnu must make it all work while keeping house. Just when it seems that the climate has calmed, a politically-motivated stunt finds Tsega imprisoned, malnourished and begging for death to take him. Much like modern day North Korea Yètèmegnu goes to the high courts, even the emperor to get her husband freed, and after four months of torture and other maltreatment he’s allowed to go free but would finish his life feeling betrayed by the church he built and wouldn’t live to see vindication or the world he left behind.
As much as this is a personal history of a grandmother's life it is a granddaughter’s retelling of stories about her grandmother's lost childhood, public executions, parenthood, being a young widow, outliving many of her children and other tragedies; it is also an account of a country in strife, invasion, revolution, as well as a fall of a beloved emperor. Through it all she lived even when she was more than willing to die, pleading with God to take her but her request falling on deaf ears because there was a greater purpose for her, she just needed to reap the power to act on it. Overall I was not enthralled with this book, it started off quite jumbled and had little flow throughout the remaining pages making it a very difficult book to follow. When dealing with subject matter of this magnitude I would believe the author would want the reader to sympathize with the character, which I did, but also dislike the antagonist, which I felt confused by as feelings seemed to change as years passed that directly contrasted my own value system and made it hard to justify. What this book does demonstrate is the power of women in an oppressive environment and the willingness to forgive when revenge is at the heart of clearing the family name.
“I HAVE FOUND THEE A REFUGE FROM THE WOLVES WHICH DO NOT SLEEP TILL THE DAWN, WHICH SEIZE AND CARRY OFF AND LEAVE NO SHEEP UNTOUCHED, AND SPARE NEITHER THE YOUNG GOAT NOR THE LAMB. I HAVE FOUND THEE A REFUGE FROM THE FACE OF THE BOW AND FROM THE MOUTHS OF SPEARS AND SWORDS, AND EVERY INSTRUMENT OF WAR.”
August 7, 2021
Read in August 2021 for ShelterBox Book Club.
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