Goodbye Bay

In 1963, Anna takes a temporary post at a remote post office in a small coastal town, hoping to escape a failed relationship and the drama of her city life. But neither time nor space is granted, as the life of Macaima passes through the post office, and Anna reluctantly begins to take on the villagers' stories, which prove to be just as complicated and enmeshed in the social, cultural, and political issues that divide the nation as her own. Macaima is a magical place of intense and unforgettable characters, and Anna is a complex narrator whom we ultimately trust and care for. Goodbye Bay is a gripping story with room for surprise, humor, tragedy, and redemption, and it asks probing questions about the nature of the project of Independence and its failures with respect to race, class, gender, and sexuality. It is one of the very best Caribbean novels to have been written.

Format: Paperback / softback
Publication date: 27 July 2023
Publisher: Peepal Tree Press Ltd

In 1963, a year after Trinidad and Tobago gained independence, the people of the country began to ponder the future. Anna, seeking respite from a failed relationship and the chaotic city life, takes a temporary job at a remote post office in a small coastal town. However, she soon realizes that neither time nor space will be granted as the life of Macaima, a village nestled within the post office, unfolds before her eyes. Anna reluctantly becomes entangled in the villagers' stories, which mirror the complex social, cultural, and political issues that divide the nation.

As the year progresses, Anna undergoes an intense seasoning in Macaima that forever changes her. Macaima is a magical place filled with unforgettable characters, brought to life with exceptional psychological subtlety by Jennifer Rahim. Anna, a flawed but relatable narrator, is a complex character whom the reader ultimately trusts and cares for.

As an historical novel, Goodbye Bay poses probing questions about the nature of the project of independence and its failures with respect to race, class, gender, and sexuality. Written in a seamless blend of sharply observed realism, moments of rich humor, and profound poetic intensity, the book tells a gripping story that encompasses surprise, humor, tragedy, and redemption.

Goodbye Bay stands as one of the finest Caribbean novels ever written, and its impact extends beyond recent years. Its seamless mix of realism, humor, and poetic intensity makes it a timeless masterpiece that continues to resonate with readers worldwide.

Weight: 334g
Dimension: 135 x 207 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781845235390