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Synopsis
An epic tale of a father and two sons, of betrayals and loyalties, of a family unraveling in the wake of Ethiopia’s revolution. This memorable, heartbreaking story opens in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1974, on the eve of a revolution. Yonas kneels in his mother’s prayer room, pleading to his god for an end to the violence that has wracked his family and country. His father, Hailu, a prominent doctor, has been ordered to report to jail after helping a victim of state-sanctioned torture to die. And Dawit, Hailu’s youngest son, has joined an underground resistance movement—a choice that will lead to more upheaval and bloodshed across a ravaged Ethiopia. *Beneath the Lion’s Gaze* tells a gripping story of family, of the bonds of love and friendship set in a time and place that has rarely been explored in fiction. It is a story about the lengths human beings will go in pursuit of freedom and the human price of a national revolution. Emotionally gripping, poetic, and indelibly tragic, *Beneath The Lion’s Gaze* is a transcendent and powerful debut.
Beneath the Lion's Gaze: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This literary novel depicts Ethiopia's violent 1974 revolution with state-sanctioned torture, political imprisonment, and family tragedy. The emotional intensity and graphic political violence make it appropriate only for mature adult readers.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, no sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include torture, murder, death, and grief (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Adult readers interested in political history and family dramas will find this a powerful exploration of revolution's human cost.