The History of a Difficult Child

Sibhat debuts with a remarkable family saga set in Ethiopia’s communist period. In the mid-1980s, 42-year-old Degitu Galata learns­—after four months of unexplained vaginal bleeding­—that she’s pregnant with her third child and first in 11 years. Meanwhile, her wastrel husband, Asmelash Gebre Egziabher, perpetually runs afoul of their region’s new socialist leaders. Shortly after Degitu gives birth to a daughter named Selam, the family’s boarder introduces them to Pentecostal Christianity. Then Degitu’s bleeding returns and she dies, though the family tells Selam, now a toddler, that she’s moved to Addis Ababa. Asmelash throws himself into the new religion despite harassment from neighbors, while Selam is mistreated by her older brothers (the oldest, Ezra, who is secretly gay and carrying on a relationship with the boarder, takes Selam’s share of their late grandmother’s money to open a shop in Addis Ababa, and Melkamu beats Selam while forcing exorcisms on her in the church). As rebels make progress toppling the government, Selam uncovers the secret of her mother’s death and the family experiences another tragedy. Sibhat wonderfully distills the political and historical context into a personal story, and centers Selam’s emotional turmoil with inventive narration (“I’m a leopard in disguise, with a list of all the people I’m going to eat in this town”). This is a standout. Agent: Ayesha Pande, Ayesha Pande Literary Agency. (June)