The Birdcatcher

£9.99

Set in the 1970s, ‘The Birdcatcher’ is narrated by writer Amanda Wordlaw, whose closest friend, a gifted sculptor named Catherine Shuger, is repeatedly institutionalised for trying to kill a husband who never leaves her. The three form a quirky triangle on the white-washed island of Ibiza. A study in Black women’s creative expression, this latest work from Jones shows off her range and insight into the vicissitudes of human nature.

Backorder Notice MessageJan 01, 1970

Description

A FINALIST FOR THE 2022 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD

‘A fascinating meditation on Black female creativity from the author of Corregidora and Palmares . . . Vivid characters shimmer through the pages’ Suzi Feay, GUARDIAN

‘I am living on the white-washed island of Ibiza with my friend Catherine Shuger, a sculptor who has been declared legally insane, and her husband, Ernest. Standing on the terrace, sheltered in the smell of oranges and eucalyptus, washed in sunlight, you’d swear this was a paradise. But to tell the truth the place is full of dangers. You see, Catherine sometimes tries to kill her husband. It has been this way for years . . . My name’s Amanda Wordlaw. Wonderful name for a writer, isn’t it? . . . I guess I’m sort of a choice companion for the Shugers – professional watcher and listener that I am. It’s like they need someone else to witness the shit, the spectacle they make of themselves.’

‘Gayl Jones constructs a novel that is part mystery, part thriller, and wholly captivating . . . Jones is an outstanding writer . . . A shining segment of the American literary canon has been restored’ Kate Webb, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT

‘With the plush scenery of a travelogue, the misshapen soul of a noir and the anarchic spirit of a trickster tale, this novel revolves around three Black American expatriates . . . Catherine is suspicious of Amanda’s intentions toward her husband, but, in Jones’s fearsome, fractured narrative, her potential for violence seems no more alarming than anything else that might befall these social outsiders’ NEW YORKER (Best books of 2022)

Additional information

Weight 212 g
Dimensions 196 × 126 × 28 mm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

207

Language

English

Edition

1st paperback ed

Dewey

813.6 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K