Born at the End of the World by Donica MerhazionMy rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
There’s always a worry, when reviewing a book based on a family’s true story, that the writing will be bad or that the story is not as unique or interesting as the author thought. I’m delighted to report that Born at the End of the World is not such a book. Mostly set during the 1970s Ethiopian civil war and brutal Red Terror, the novel follows gutsy 13-year-old Elen, who flees her village rather than accept being married off to an older man, and teenage boy, Girmai, who is struggling to survive on the streets and ultimately becomes a successful businessman. Their stories come together when both join the underground freedom fighters trying to win Eritrean independence. Amid the danger and deceptions, they fall in love.
My grandfather, who was also in a political underground movement, said “you can either be a revolutionary or a family man.” We see why as these two – and their families – face ever-greater dangers and impossible decisions. The novel is unflinching in its description of the harshness of street life, the sacrifices required to be a revolutionary, and the horrors of interrogation rooms and deadly civil war prisons.
My only frustration with the book was not its fault because it merely follows what happened in real life. Girmai was married and the father of three when he met Elen. He does feel guilt over deceiving his wife, who, he acknowledges, is a good woman and has done nothing to deserve this. His betrayal of her made the story less emotionally satisfying. You know that even if both protagonists do somehow survive, there cannot be a fully happy ending. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book.
(NOTE: This review first appeared in the Historical Novel Society’s book reviews section.)
View all my reviews
