I thought the author had a really good grasp of his subject matter which came through in his writing. The suffering of the people in Ethiopia while other in the capital get rich of their pain is an ongoing tale of class war, and in this time even more brutality. I loved the scenes where the family members would get together and talk about what was happening. I also loved the ending where the girl from the streets tells it like it is to the man from Addis. The narration was excellent. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

Oromay tells a story about decades long, little known conflict in E. Africa.
First Published in Amharic in 1983, (and then banned rapidly after publication) Oromay has now been translated into English in it's entirety. And as a BONUS - it is now out in a very listenable audio-book as well!
No Spoiler Summary (because spoilers are just the WORST) - Oromay ( an Eritrean word adapted from the Italian oromai meaning pointless or finished) tells the story of a fictional journalist's experiences embarking on a political and military campaign in Eritrea. (Eritrea is a country in East Africa.) Set in Asmara, the reader is embedded into all the wild nights, political intrigue and exploits and front line action in what was a long, bitter conflict occurring over decades. Girma was a journalist and it seems this very personal novel is a fictionalized account of the actual Red Star Campaign and true events.
I consumed the novel like a sweet delicious coffee. There's treachery, intrigue, gruesome battles, romance, and a dramatic ending that leaves the reader thinking about the nature of life and death for a long time to come. This novel is perfect for book clubs, students, readers of John Lecarre, and Phillip Kerr- and those who enjoy a novel full of intrigue in a unique setting.

The narration was performed by Beru Tessema and it was perfection. For many English readers- the amount of unfamiliar names with unusual spellings will be daunting. With Beru Tessema, these all rolled off the tongue naturally and kept the story moving forward. Some readers may find the way the story unfolds to feel a little slow- but I'm going to encourage readers to stick with it. The sort of slow measured feel seems to reflect how the campaign itself rolled out over Asmara. The novel pulls the reader in deeper and deeper, just as the Red Star officials were pulled into Asmara and Eritrea, not all at once, but slowly over a period of weeks. One warm evening at a time.
Did I find myself rooting for one character in particular? Not really- this isn't that sort of novel where a hero emerges out of rubble. instead, as a reader I found that my understanding of life and death and the choices made in difficult times broadened with each unfurling chapter - making this a rather remarkable piece of fiction. It is a book in translation - David DeGusta and Mesfin Felleke Yirgu are the translators, and I did have to check a few times to be sure it was a translation. I can't speak to the accuracy, but I can say that it was very readable.

An amusing and interesting novel about a journalist caught up in Ethiopia’s “Red Star” propaganda campaign to try and squash the 1981 Eritrean uprising. At the same time, the journalist has left his fiancée behind in their hometown whilst he is involved with covering the war from the city of Asmara. He meets and falls for a local woman. He also insists on accompanying the soldiers into war along with his film team, only to discover that war is not as glamorous as his propaganda paints it to be.
There is bureaucracy, posturing, naïveté, and deceit, deliciously drawn and well narrated. I learned that the author was “disappeared” following the publication of this novel, and that was likely no accident….
My thanks to the author, publisher, @HighBridgeAudio, and #NetGalley for making the English translation available and for early access to the English audiobook for review purposes. Publication date: 27 May 2025.

Oromay is a beautifully written, poetic and political novel about a journalist who joins a campaign to drive back the Eritrean insurgency. He soon finds himself entrenched in danger, corruption and conspiracy-driven political drama where violence and death are a common means to an end.

In the midst of all of this is an intense love story of a man with a fiancé at home and a mistress who could put his life in danger.

The writing in this novel is at once concise and elegant. Detailed when necessary and purple on the topic of love and passion. Even in the most bureaucratic sections, I was fully engaged.

I read the audio publication. I appreciated that the narrator had an accent that fit the culture of the novel. His speech is clear and articulate. In instances where Italian or Amharic were used, he switched easily. I never felt distracted by any of the narrators choices.

I found his vocalization of different characters not to be distinctive. There is a mild softening of his voice with female characters. This was not a significant problem for comprehension and following the story.
The narrator did a great job of adding emphasis where needed while never being over the top. The sound quality is great - no background noises, breaks or noticeable inconsistencies. I would listen to more audiobooks by this narrator.

The story and writing are near perfect - 4 out of 5 stars for storytelling and writing quality.
The narration is slightly above average - 3 out of 5 stars for narration alone.