Published by Vintage, part of Vintage Publishing
Format: Paperback
£8.99
Author:
Ginny Baily
Format: Paperback
EAN: 9780099552727
£8.99
Available for dispatch within 1-2 working days
EAN: 9780099552727
Published: 3 May 2012
Adele is in a mess. On her own with her young son, struggling to cope with her job as a teacher, and stuck in a disastrous affair - her life is unravelling. Her memories of idyllic years as a child in Senegal are fading, but she's haunted by a vision of her childhood friend, Ellena. Africa is in her head.
Ellena's childhood in exile from brutal conflict in Liberia was far removed from the vibrant Senegal Adele remembers, and a careless, heartless act destroyed the girls' friendship and jeopardised Ellena's fragile family. Adele must return to Africa to try and make amends and to attempt to pull together the drifting threads of her life.
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The African writing is enchanting and frank and fresh, reminiscent of Salinger and Harper Lee...The heat and randomness of childhood are brought to life with honesty and humour, and all the complexity and crossfire of Africa is evoked in this warm-hearted and uplifting novel
- Daily Mail
A compelling story. Ginny Baily opens a door onto the harsh, dazzling landscapes of Senegal and Mali... Africa Junction beautifully expresses the search for survival, love and meaning
- Helen Dunmore
A great story; touching, elegantly written, very human, very sincere
- Joanne Harris
A thrilling ride... Original, memorable and warm
- Philip Hensher
[A] forceful debut...The astonishing landscapes of Mali, Liberia and Senegal over the last 30 years are compellingly crossed
- Guardian
Highly ambitious debut...the constant flickering between the familiarities of the UK and the dry deserts and sweltering cities of West Africa accentuates the descriptions of each and gives powerful resonance to the nuances of difference that dictate our lives
- New Welsh Review
A finely written and incisive story of global connections
- Spectator, Books of the Year
Fascinating and unusual...beautiful writing... Baily is clearly an intelligent writer... Deftly brings the reader inside the story...and the tragic individual fallout of war and political unrest are truly brought home to us
- Planet
A novel of grave emotional weight and colour. Whether she describes terrible or magical events, to read Ginny Baily is to pick up riches in every paragraph... It's a rare achievement
- Sam North
Ginny Baily writes with perception and insight, telling the stories of her many characters with great skill and eventually weaving them together into a satisfying whole. She clearly knows Africa and the people who live there, as her affection and understanding shine out. It's a compelling read, carrying you along effortlessly, each section creating its own momentum long before the connections become clear
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Ginny Baily was born in Halifax in Yorkshire, grew up in Cardiff and now lives in Devon. She has taught English as a Foreign Language, Italian and French, has lived and worked in both France and Italy and has long worked on the Africa Research Bulletin - a monthly journal of African affairs. She is also the co-founder and co-editor of Riptide, a journal which has the aim of championing the short story. She has won various prizes for her poetry and short stories. Africa Junction is her first novel. She has two sons and lives in Exeter.
