Blood Kin, by Ceridwen Dovey

A coup in an unnamed country has led to regime change. The deposed president is said to be guilty of terrible and brutal crimes. This kind of sweeping political change has been seen many times in many parts of the world, but what is the impact on the people who live through it and the families of those who don’t live through it? Dovey names none of her characters; there is the President, his barber, his chef, his portraitist, his barber’s brother’s fiancé, his chef’s daughter, his portraitist’s wife; the commander and various guards. All are described as such throughout – defined by their relationship to power. It turns out they are all closely linked, their lives intertwined. The book is divided into two main parts – first the men demonstrate the immediate consequences of the coup. Then the women in their lives provide a different perspective on their relationships and on the damage they have suffered because of them. A short third part goes back to the men for the unpleasant and depressing conclusion. The nation is not named either; it could be somewhere in Africa, somewhere in South America. It could be anywhere. This slim volume is not an easy read, as it precisely details how power corrupts no matter which douchebag is in charge. It is toxic masculinity writ large and it’s always the women who bear the brunt.