It describes a family in Addis Ababa in 1974, living through the transition from emperor Haile Selassie to rule by the Derg.

[2] Writing in The New York Times, Lorraine Adams says, "Mengiste understands well the unique position her country occupies in Africa’s postcolonial landscape.

And her uncanny rendition of Selassie’s last moments reveals her sensitivity to the twisted singularity of his magnetism.

"[3] In The Guardian, Pushpinder Khaneka named it to a list of best books about Ethiopia, saying, "This compassionate, tightly woven tale immediately draws the reader into its unfurling domestic and political drama.

"[4] In The New Yorker, Francesca Mari said, "The real marvel of this tender novel is its coiled plotting, in which coincidence manages to evoke the colossal emotional toll of the revolution.