A Novel
A radiant, highly anticipated debut from the Well–Read Black Girl Books series, delving into the secret lives of three women on the eve of Eritrean independence
The year is 1991. Eritrea is on the verge of liberation from Ethiopian rule and in Washington, D.C.’s tight-knit Eritrean community, change is in the air. Thirteen-year-old Lydia and her family are grappling with what peace might mean for their future, just as they welcome a new relative into their home: Berekhet, a cousin newly arrived from Ethiopia to attend medical school. Berekhet encourages Lydia to confront a barrage of new ideas for the first time, about nationhood, family and what it means to be truly free. Meanwhile, her mother, Elsa, a former rebel fighter, and the family matriarch, Mama Zewdi, contend with regrets and secrets long-buried—secrets that the emboldened Lydia is determined to uncover, including the truth about her martyred father. Written with warmth and sharp humour, Bsrat Mezghebe’s mesmerising debut novel is a loving ode to an immigrant community on the cusp of a new age.