The History of a Difficult Child

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A breathtaking, tragicomic debut novel follows the indomitable Selam Asmelash, the youngest child of a once land-owning family navigating life after Ethiopia's socialist revolution. With her wisecracking, inquisitive nature, Selam brings life to her Small Town in the 1980s. Even before her birth, she possesses a captivating omniscience. As she and her father secretly listen to the radio, the socialist military junta seizes properties and ignites civil war in the North, leaving the Asmelash family ostracized. In their Small Town, gossip flourishes among women gathered for coffee ceremonies. As Selam's dignified mother, Degitu, falls ill, she turns to a persecuted Pentecostal God, urging her family to convert. The Asmelashes resist the oppressive regime, while Selam grapples with her inner turmoil and a thirst for revenge against despotic comrades, neighborhood bullies, and a relentless God. Despite her wisdom, she remains naive, battling profound sadness and an unstoppable drive for education, freedom, and love. Through the charming perspective of its narrator, the story explores the conflicts between mother, God, and country, as one difficult child discovers her voice amidst chaos.