The Lost Spell

“While researching a book of spells, a wealthy man transforms himself into a dog. We follow the (now) canine protagonist as he journeys to Addis Ababa, and through his eyes we witness the sublime beauty of the Ethiopian landscape. The story of one man’s literal dehumanization allegorizes the abasement our narrator witnesses around him as he simultaneously lauds and laments his country… Worku presents a fly-on-the-wall (or a dog-on-the-road) view of contemporary Ethiopia that is at once a critique and a bittersweet love letter.” - Asymptote Journal

Unable to remember the spell that will make him human again, Dore takes the road home to Addis Ababa stripped of his status and language. As he travels fearfully through the towns along the way he sees Ethiopian history and politics from a new perspective. He strains to keep himself at the centre of his world.