A thrilling reimagining of a turning point in Irish, American and European history. Beautifully written – the rhythms are the rhythms of a revolutionary era – it wears the weight of its research lightly, and the headlong pace never falters. A masterwork from one of the most inventive artists of our day.
'A masterwork from one of the most inventive artists of our day' John Banville
From multi-award-winning author and film director Neil Jordan comes The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small. This powerful new work of fiction brings Jordan's inimitable storytelling ability to the drama of real events and a long-forgotten chapter in Ireland's history. The tale is related by Tony Small, a runaway slave who becomes Lord Edward Fitzgerald's manservant and friend. While details of Lord Edward's life are well documented, little is known of Tony Small who rescued Fitzgerald after the Battle of Eutaw Springs during America's War of Independence and returned with him to Europe. In this gripping narrative his character considers the ironies of empire, captivity and freedom, mapping Lord Edward's journey from being a loyal subject of the British Empire to becoming a 1798 rebellion leader.
The story embraces a rich cast of characters as action weaves from the Carolinas to London and Dublin, from the ferment of Paine and Robespierre's revolutionary Paris to Tournai and Hamburg, returning to Ireland for its tragic, inevitable denouement.
