The Go-Away Bird

Description

A powerful, heart-wrenching story of friendship and love 'This is a story about me, Clementine, and my friends: a panther called Levi, a pelican called Lola and a turtle called Jimmy. It is about dragons and goblins, my Daddy the King, my Mummy the Queen and Prince Pio my brother. At least that is the way I tell it sometimes when thoughts of the blood, the machetes, the swamp and the fear of Uncle Leonard become too hard to describe. But that was all before I met Ashley, wonderful Ashley. Not that he would ever call himself wonderful in a million years. When he tells you his story you will see what I mean...' Ashley Bolt - A middle-aged, loner for whom teaching singing is the only escape from his London life. In an attempt to forget a violent past he turns to self-harming but this provides little comfort. Clementine Habimana - A Rwandan child refugee who witnesses the 1994 genocide at first-hand and lives to tell her story. Delivered into the hands of an abusive uncle in the UK, Clementine remains undeterred in her hope for a brighter future. When their two worlds collide, nothing is ever the same again...

Warren FitzGerald was born in 1973. Since graduating from Warwick University he has been a professional singer and worked with children and adults with disabilities. He has undertaken several voluntary projects overseas including building a health centre in Kibungo, Rwanda (the setting for The Go-Away Bird). He lives in London.

'FitzGerald writes about Africa vividly, painting interior scenes and green tropical landscapes that jump out of the page. He may do for Rwanda something of what Alexander McCall Smith's lady detective series has done for Botswana...it is a funny, musical, hopeful and poignant story.' CAPE TIMES 'It is hard to believe this is Warren FitzGerald's first novel, so sure is his hand and so powerful the book.' MAIL & GUARDIAN