The Cry of the Go-Away Bird - Softcover

Eames, Andrea

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0099548488 ISBN 13: 9780099548485

Publisher: Vintage UK, 2013

Synopsis

A fresh and gripping debut about growing up in Zimbabwe during the recent years of violent change

Elise loves the farm that is her home; she loves playing with beetles and chameleons in the garden, buying sweets from the village shop, and listening to the stories of spirits and charms told by her nanny, Beauty. As a young white girl in 1990s Zimbabwe, her life is idyllic. Her clothes are always clean and ironed, there is always tea in the silver teapot, gin and tonics are served on the veranda, and, in theory at least, black and white live in harmony. However this dream-world of her childhood cannot last. As Elise gets older, her eyes are opened to the complexities of adult existence, both through the changes wrought in her family by the arrival of her stepfather Steve, and through her growing understanding of the tensions in Zimbabwean society. As Mugabe's presidency turns sour, the privileged world of the white farmers begins to crumble into anarchy. This novel follows Elise as she attempts to make sense of her place in the world while her family struggle to stay afloat in the collapsing economy and escalating horror that surrounds them. As the violence intensifies and the farm invasions begin, Elise and her family are forced to confront difficult choices and the ancient unforgiving ghosts of the past.

About this title

About the Author:

Andrea Eames was brought up in Zimbabwe. She has worked as a bookseller and an editor.

Review:

"Captures brilliantly the atmosphere of corroding trust that pervades the Coopers' farm. . . . Eames's description of how the two groups steer around and at times into each other crackles with tension and authenticity. . . . Eames is a young writer with talent, whose novel tackles matters of substance."  —Guardian

"A frank and unvarnished portrait of life behind the headlines, sharpened by details from the author's own Zimbabwean girlhood."  —Daily Mail

"Against a shocking backdrop if recent historical events, Andrea Eames has used a fresh, candid voice to create an intimate, sensitive and moving debut novel."  —Metro

About this edition

• Publisher: Vintage UK
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0099548488
• ISBN 13: 9780099548485
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304