The Cry of the Go-Away Bird

The Cry of the Go-Away Bird by Andrea Eames is a captivating debut novel set in Zimbabwe during the tumultuous years of change. Elise, a young white girl, cherishes her idyllic life on the farm—playing with beetles, listening to stories from her nanny, Beauty, and savoring the simple pleasures. However, as she grows older, the complexities of adult existence unfold.

Her family faces challenges due to the arrival of her stepfather, Steve, and the escalating tensions in Zimbabwean society under Mugabe’s presidency. The privileged world of white farmers crumbles into anarchy, forcing Elise and her family to confront difficult choices and ancient ghosts of the past.