Bayou Perdu, a tiny fishing town way, way down in Louisiana, is home to sixteen-year-old Evangeline Riley.

She has her best friends, her wise Mamere, and, dearest to her heart, she has the peace that only comes when she takes her skiff out to where there is nothing but sky and air and water and wings. It’s a small life, but it is Evangeline’s. And then the storm comes, and everything changes.

With a strong, steady voice, a keen sense of place, and a vivid cast of characters, here is a novel that asks compelling questions about class and politics, exile and belonging, and the pain of being cast out of your home. But above all, this remarkable debut tells a gently woven love story, difficult to put down, impossible to forget.

• Now in paperback, a fantastic debut novel 
• This book is the whole package – great voice, delicate and compelling love story, amazing sense of place, and an unforgettable cast of characters. 
• A book that, despite being set in 2005, still feels topical and timely.