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The Cry of the Go-Away Bird
The Cry of the Go-Away Bird
Nov 5, 2025 5:25 PM

Author:Andrea Eames

The Cry of the Go-Away Bird

Elise loves the farm that is her home. There is always tea in the silver teapot, gin and tonics are served on the veranda and her days are spent listening to stories of spirits and charms told by her nanny, Beauty. As a young white girl growing up in Zimbabwe, her life is idyllic.

However, this dream-world of her childhood cannot last. As Elise gets older, her eyes are opened to the complexities of adult life, both through the arrival of her step-father, and through her growing understanding of the tensions in Zimbabwean society. As the privileged existence of the white farmers begins to crumble into anarchy and farm invasions begin, Elise is forced to confront difficult choices and the ancient unforgiving ghosts of the past.

Reviews

In her debut novel, Andrea Eames captures brilliantly the atmosphere of corroding trust that pervades the Coopers' farm...Eames is a young writer with talent, whose novel tackles matters of substance

—— Aminatta Forna , Guardian

This is a touching and assured debut... Eames is definitely one to watch

—— Lesley McDowall , Scotsman

Eames is a fluent and engaging writer and this debut novel signals real promise for her future

—— Susan Williams , Independent

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

—— Hephzibah Anderson , Daily Mail

The Cry of the Go-Away Bird clearly draws on her own experience... The atmosphere is reminiscent of Doris Lessing's The Grass is Singing

—— BBC Radio 4

Reminiscent of Harper Lee's To Kill A Mocking Bird

—— BBC World Service

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

—— Tina Jackson , Metro

In this assured debut novel, Eames draws on her own interrupted childhood...to paint an authentic portrait of a nation on the edge

—— Emma Hagestadt , Independent

The Cry of the Go-Away Bird is a promising debut novel, and Eames's own Zimbabwean childhood colours her writing with vivid descriptions of the earth, wildlife and Shona language

—— Syndicated Review across National Press

Remarkable story

—— TLS

The most original book I have read for quite a long time

—— Observer

Riverting ... both disturbing and entertaining, with twisted low-life chracters rivalling any created by Martin Amis or Nicola Barker

—— Leyla Sanai , Spectator

Sounds like a must-read

—— Reading Matters

Utterly remarkable…sad in its depth, but delightful on the shimmering surface… It might only be February, but there's going to need to be some strong competition in the months to come if this doesn't end up being my book of the year

—— The Bookbag

A wonderful survivor’s story… It’s excellent

—— Peter Murchie , British Journal of General Practice

This book is spooky, erotic and evocative. We loved it.

—— Richard & Judy , Daily Express

It is time we stopped thinking of the historical novel as a genre, and an inferior one at that. If its ostensible subject matter means that it doesn't attempt to tell us how we live now, nevertheless a novel set back in time may, if it is good, say as much about what it is to be alive as one set in the next street or another country today. Tides of War is such a novel. It is diverting, but not a diversion

—— The Spectator

A well written, engaging read...beautifully observed

—— History Today

A vivid account of a couple of years in the Peninsula Campaign and a sympathetic portrait of those left behind

—— Joanna Hines , Literary Review

A delicious novel by an experienced author who captures the scientific atmosphere of the early 19th century with a devastating study of infidelity

—— Colin Gardiner , Oxford Times

The real life players of the Napoleonic era spring to life

—— i

Compelling

—— Big Issue

Highly assured and almost educational with its broad sweep of history

—— Jane Housham , Guardian

Tillyard’s achievement is in this original portray log the Regency era and its relevance to our own time

—— Philippa Williams , The Lady

a very human tale about passion, secrets and lies.

—— Reading Matters

An achingly brilliant piece of writing on passion and delusion. It's a pleasure to read from start to finish and reignites our love for fiction

—— Independent
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