Children of the Revolution

A quietly accomplished debut novel… Despite, or perhaps because of, the attritions of his years in exile, Sepha has remained astonishingly tender. In the end, it is this human warmth that triumphs * Guardian *
Brilliant… a courageous and engaging novel * Daily Telegraph *
With faultless pitch and tone, this elegiac first novel packs great matters into its modest span * Independent *
A quietly brilliant portrait of immigrant life… Children of the Revolution reads like an Ethopian variation on The Great Gatsby. Remarkably it’s not diminished by this comparison * Financial Times *
A rich and lyrical story of displacement and loneliness. I was profoundly moved by this tale of an Ethiopian immigrant’s search for acceptance, peace, and identity… Mengestu makes us feel this tortured soul’s longings, regrets, and in the end, his dreams of meaningful human connection – Khaled Hosseini * The Kite Runner *
Dinaw Mengestu belongs to that special group of American voices produced by global upheavals and intentional, if sometimes forced, migrations… The most interesting work in American literature has often been done by such writers * Los Angeles Times Book Review *
Sharp and moving * The Times *
An impressive and moving debut * Spectator *
The immigrant’s plight is sensitively captured… But this is not a story of hopelessness - rather, it’s the gritty determination and the dark wit…and perspicacity with which Sepha can view his adopted homeland that make this a rich, moving read – Siobhan Murphy * Metro *

Dinaw Mengestu was born in Ethiopia in 1978 and is a graduate of Georgetown and Columbia universities. His 2007 debut novel, Children of the Revolution, won the Guardian First Book Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. In 2010, he was included in the New Yorker’s ‘20 Under 40’ list of writers to watch. He is also the author of How To Read The Air.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.