The African country that defeated Europe

Ethiopia is the only African country never to have been colonised, despite being occupied after fighting off the onslaught of an Italian invasion twice. Set in the period before the second Italo-Ethiopian war (1935–1936), The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste follows the young woman Hirut and her emergence as a warrior. It is clear that Hirut embodies all the resilience and strength of her country during this period. And like the country, she maintains her independence and autonomy. In conversation with Professor of Comparative Literature Daniel Medin, the American-Ethiopian author Maaza Mengiste speaks about Ethiopian history and the novel’s nuanced portrayal of war.