Ève Guerra: *Repatriation* , with Richard Village

Join us at EBB to celebrate the publication in the UK of Congolese-French author Ève Guerra's novel *Repatriation* (Foundry Editions). Accompanied by the book's translator, Clodagh Kinsella, the author will be in conversation with Richard Village.

A powerful examination of grief, family lies and the postcolonial condition in one woman’s attempt to repatriate her father’s body to France.

Annabella Morelli is twenty-three years old, dreams of becoming a poet and lives in Lyon, far from Congo-Brazzaville where she was born. The daughter of a Franco-Italian worker, and a Congolese girl who became a mother too young, Annabella remembers a happy childhood until one Christmas, at the age of seven, her father's anger exploded, and her mother left the family home.

When she learns of his death in Cameroon, her world collapses for the second time and in her desperate attempt to repatriate her father’s body to France, Annabella is forced to confront the family secrets, lies and deep trauma at the heart of her existence. This stunning debut explores grief, family relationships, personal truths and the post-colonial condition with beautiful, urgent writing.
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Ève Guerra is a novelist, poet, journalist and teacher. She grew up in Congo Brazzaville, which she fled during the civil war. She is now a teacher of Latin, ancient Greek and French, a columnist for Lire and the author of a collection of poetry. *Repatriation* is Ève’s first novel, which has had a remarkable reception in France, winning the 2024 Prix Goncourt du Premier Roman and the 2024 Prix Transfuge du Meilleur Premier Roman. It has also been shortlisted for a dozen national and international literary prizes.

Clodagh Kinsella is a writer and journalist. She often reports on travel for publications including Conde Nast Traveller, The Independent and BBC Travel, and has broadcast for BBC Radio 4. As a literary translator from French, she has recast the words of philosophers, film historians and authors – notably Michèle Bernstein’s novel *The Night*.

Richard Village is an editor, translator and publisher In 2024, he created Foundry Editions, an independent press based in London. A linguist with a degree in Modern Languages from Oxford, he has a passion for translated literature from the Mediterranean basin.