Born at the End of the World
A determined Ethiopian woman enters the fight for Eritrean independence in Donica Merhazion’s riveting historical novel Born at the End of the World.
To escape an arranged marriage, Elen leaves Ethiopia for Eritrea. There, her aunt arranges for her to work as a waitress. Elen keeps the job through her young adulthood, honing her observational skills. After the Derg coup, she overhears a plot to detain and torture members of the Eritrean resistance. Passing along the information sets Elen on a path that tests her mental and physical fortitude.
The book is set primarily during the mid-1970s, before and during the Red Terror of the Derg regime. Elen is a formidable lead who plumbs the depths of her determination in her activism. Her love for her adopted countrymen is evident in her work, first as an unofficial informant and then as a full member of the resistance. In alternating sections, the narrative also follows Girmai, a former street boy turned successful businessman who is part of the Eritrean resistance. Girmai is resolute and steadfast in his belief in a free Eritrea. Through him and the men around him, the book covers the planning, maneuvering, and machinations that underlie a resistance front.
The fraught, hostile history between Ethiopia and Eritrea is woven throughout the narrative, which includes the horrors and dangers of war and resistance. There are scenes of torture and details of the stench of imprisonment. Moving at a steady pace, the story also balances its intrigue with moments between family members and friends. Through it all, Elen clings to her faith, repeating her mantra “if it is for the good of others, it is worth doing.”
Born at the End of the World is a thrilling historical novel about a woman’s resilience and resistance.
Reviewed by
Dontaná McPherson-Joseph
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