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The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small
‘It would begin with the burning mail coaches, my Citizen told me. And
end with the citadel of freedom set up inside the castle gates. And I had
a ticket for the playhouse for once. No more rapping at the stage door
or hiding in the flies. So I took my time dressing that night while Julie
attended to the lady and her child.
I had best be well appointed, for the curtain call or the advent of freedom,
whichever happened first. But there was the problem of choice. Mine was
limited to those well-worn Leinster duds, a greatcoat and some collarless
shirts … And then I saw the case of his own clothes, which I had dragged
all the way from Leinster House. I thought, he wouldn’t mind me wearing
his. On this night of all nights.’
From multi- award-winning author and director Neil Jordan comes a new and stunning work of fiction, The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small. Blending the drama of real events with Jordan’s inimitable storytelling ability, this work spotlights a long-forgotten chapter in Ireland’s history.
The tale is related by Lord Edward Fitzgerald’s manservant Tony Small, a runaway slave who rescued Lord Edward after the Battle of Eutaw Springs during the American War of Independence. While the details of Lord Edward’s life are well-documented, very little is known of Tony Small, who, in this gripping narrative, examines the ironies of empire, captivity and freedom. Small, who knows too well the consequences of rebellion and resistance, reflects on Lord Edward’s journey from being a loyal servant of the British Empire to becoming a 1798 rebellion leader.
This story is populated with a brimming cast of characters, from Molly, who works as a maid in Leinster House, to Lord Edward’s lover Elizabeth Sheridan, her husband, playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Camden. The action moves from the Carolinas, to London, to Dublin, to the chaos of revolutionary Paris, and back to Ireland for its inevitable, tragic conclusion.
Jordan’s deft approach to The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small makes for a riveting parable of empire.
end with the citadel of freedom set up inside the castle gates. And I had
a ticket for the playhouse for once. No more rapping at the stage door
or hiding in the flies. So I took my time dressing that night while Julie
attended to the lady and her child.
I had best be well appointed, for the curtain call or the advent of freedom,
whichever happened first. But there was the problem of choice. Mine was
limited to those well-worn Leinster duds, a greatcoat and some collarless
shirts … And then I saw the case of his own clothes, which I had dragged
all the way from Leinster House. I thought, he wouldn’t mind me wearing
his. On this night of all nights.’
From multi- award-winning author and director Neil Jordan comes a new and stunning work of fiction, The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small. Blending the drama of real events with Jordan’s inimitable storytelling ability, this work spotlights a long-forgotten chapter in Ireland’s history.
The tale is related by Lord Edward Fitzgerald’s manservant Tony Small, a runaway slave who rescued Lord Edward after the Battle of Eutaw Springs during the American War of Independence. While the details of Lord Edward’s life are well-documented, very little is known of Tony Small, who, in this gripping narrative, examines the ironies of empire, captivity and freedom. Small, who knows too well the consequences of rebellion and resistance, reflects on Lord Edward’s journey from being a loyal servant of the British Empire to becoming a 1798 rebellion leader.
This story is populated with a brimming cast of characters, from Molly, who works as a maid in Leinster House, to Lord Edward’s lover Elizabeth Sheridan, her husband, playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Camden. The action moves from the Carolinas, to London, to Dublin, to the chaos of revolutionary Paris, and back to Ireland for its inevitable, tragic conclusion.
Jordan’s deft approach to The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small makes for a riveting parable of empire.
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Published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 20, 2023
It is hard to know if Neil Jordan is a writer who makes films or a filmmaker who writes; he does both so well as to make the rest of us jealous. He certainly began as a writer, setting up with others such as Desmond Hogan the Irish Writers Collective (now sadly defunct - its very success in launching the likes of Jordan, Hogan and others meant that it was constantly loosing its talent to larger venues such as London, New York, Berlin or Hollywood) but for me he remains an immensely talented writer first and foremost. Much as I love his films it is as a writer that he shines for and I also believe that his strength as a writer brings a story telling quality and strength to his films that is absent from so many others which are dominated by visuals.
This is a wonderful novel oblique and sensitive to his characters as real people, historical figures and is true to their times and its complications. Rarely has a historical novel worn its mastery of its subject so lightly. I could completely believe and understand the 18th century setting and will happily pronounce it true and accurate though the details that anchor it are so relatively few and so deftly displayed. but what there is of it is deeply entrenched in the characters of Lord Edward Fitzgerald and Tony Small as to be instinctive and Jordan feels no need, thank goodness, to rearrange his tory or character to avoid or gloss over the fact that these people not only lived in, but thought and dreamt in
ways utterly different from ourselves.
This is a novel about a deeply complicated relationship between two men from backgrounds and cultures who save each other in different times and ways; they are master and servant but never superior of inferior to the other and above all they are friends and, in the sense of linked dependency and trust, lovers.
So like all the best novels this a love story that combines and intersects and intertwines with all volatile forces of history of the 18th century in terms of philosophy, politics, war and revolution in the USA, Ireland and Britain that provided the driving forces of this period and in the lives of the two lost heroes of this novel.
A first rate novel and one I hope is read by as many as who might see it as a film.
This is a wonderful novel oblique and sensitive to his characters as real people, historical figures and is true to their times and its complications. Rarely has a historical novel worn its mastery of its subject so lightly. I could completely believe and understand the 18th century setting and will happily pronounce it true and accurate though the details that anchor it are so relatively few and so deftly displayed. but what there is of it is deeply entrenched in the characters of Lord Edward Fitzgerald and Tony Small as to be instinctive and Jordan feels no need, thank goodness, to rearrange his tory or character to avoid or gloss over the fact that these people not only lived in, but thought and dreamt in
ways utterly different from ourselves.
This is a novel about a deeply complicated relationship between two men from backgrounds and cultures who save each other in different times and ways; they are master and servant but never superior of inferior to the other and above all they are friends and, in the sense of linked dependency and trust, lovers.
So like all the best novels this a love story that combines and intersects and intertwines with all volatile forces of history of the 18th century in terms of philosophy, politics, war and revolution in the USA, Ireland and Britain that provided the driving forces of this period and in the lives of the two lost heroes of this novel.
A first rate novel and one I hope is read by as many as who might see it as a film.
August 27, 2021
I probably should have given this book 4 stars. It lilts along in an intriguing poetic way which immediately conjures up an atmosphere of times gone by. Fascinating story based on fact which makes it a historical novel of sorts, although my lack of Knowledge of history made it a little difficult to understand the nuances of what was happening with the round about writing style, but with a little help from looking up the various political events around the world at this time it turned out to be a very enjoyable, educational and fascinating story.
Addendum: I have given it 4 stars now. It deserves it.
Addendum: I have given it 4 stars now. It deserves it.
September 15, 2021
A wonderfully written book. Neil Jordan is a masterful writer.
August 6, 2023
A tale of the Irish revolution of 1798 which was inspired by the French Revolution and failed. The "ballad" is presumably written, in the first person, by Tony Small, a slave, who met Lord Edward in the Carolinas at the end of the Revolutionary War. He with returned to England with Tony and then Ireland as the a valet, friend, and intermittent confidante. The tale unfurls over several years during which the Lord becomes part of the Irish uprising. An unusual story, both interesting and entertaining. I was hindered by knowing little of this particular revolution but know more now...
March 2, 2024
Having seen an interview where Neil Jordan mentioned this book and - perhaps embarrassingly as an Irish person - being unaware of the story itself, I sat down with this book of a mere 267 pages and expected to gain a few hours of entertainment and a smidgeon of knowledge from it.
It took me over a week to read it. I struggled.
The story itself is one of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, injured in battle fighting for the British during the American Revolutionary War, where he is rescued from the battlefield by a runaway slave, Tony Small and nursed back to health. In return, Lord Edward grants Tony Small his freedom, if he will work as his servant. So they travel across the Atlantic, to London, to Dublin and later to France, with revolution in the air no matter where they go. The story is told by the character of Tony Small himself, so the exploits of his employer are seen only through his eyes, an interesting choice of how to set about the book.
Maybe I'm an old stick-in-the-mud but I'm not a fan of what seems to be a trend of foregoing traditional rules like using punctuation - in this case, no quotation marks were used in the book so it was sometimes unclear who was speaking to whom or even if the words were still part of a conversation or a continuation of the narrative. It also skipped forward in time without any warning, at one point, a child was born, a paragraph later she was walking and no mention of time passing appeared in between.
I'm sure there are people will enjoy this style of writing. There are certainly moments of greatness in it - a description of a journey from Canada to the Mississippi is particularly evocative - but it just didn't sit well with me. I struggled to enjoy it and had to often read back over lines to almost decipher their meaning or position in the storytelling.
I can say I'm glad I read it solely for learning something more of Edward Fitzgerald's story and his place in Irish history. I knew little of him apart from his being mentioned in Yeat's poem September 1913:
"Was it for this the wild geese spread
The grey wing upon every tide;
For this that all that blood was shed,
For this Edward Fitzgerald died,"
It took me over a week to read it. I struggled.
The story itself is one of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, injured in battle fighting for the British during the American Revolutionary War, where he is rescued from the battlefield by a runaway slave, Tony Small and nursed back to health. In return, Lord Edward grants Tony Small his freedom, if he will work as his servant. So they travel across the Atlantic, to London, to Dublin and later to France, with revolution in the air no matter where they go. The story is told by the character of Tony Small himself, so the exploits of his employer are seen only through his eyes, an interesting choice of how to set about the book.
Maybe I'm an old stick-in-the-mud but I'm not a fan of what seems to be a trend of foregoing traditional rules like using punctuation - in this case, no quotation marks were used in the book so it was sometimes unclear who was speaking to whom or even if the words were still part of a conversation or a continuation of the narrative. It also skipped forward in time without any warning, at one point, a child was born, a paragraph later she was walking and no mention of time passing appeared in between.
I'm sure there are people will enjoy this style of writing. There are certainly moments of greatness in it - a description of a journey from Canada to the Mississippi is particularly evocative - but it just didn't sit well with me. I struggled to enjoy it and had to often read back over lines to almost decipher their meaning or position in the storytelling.
I can say I'm glad I read it solely for learning something more of Edward Fitzgerald's story and his place in Irish history. I knew little of him apart from his being mentioned in Yeat's poem September 1913:
"Was it for this the wild geese spread
The grey wing upon every tide;
For this that all that blood was shed,
For this Edward Fitzgerald died,"
July 6, 2021
A most interesting read. An unusual perspective on historic events.
November 26, 2021
The Enlightenment. Probably my favourite period in History. Sometimes I think I’d love to have been there to observe it and participate, to be enflamed by the new ideas doing the rounds (in pamphlets that had to be concealed), to fight heroically for The Rights of Man. And then I realise that it would have been just a frightful time to live, unless you were born on the right side of the tracks, and had the wherewithal and the education to indulge in this intellectual experiment. And then, of course, I wonder, if you were born on the right side of the tracks, why would you give up all your privileges? It would be like turkeys voting for Christmas. And you start to understand that even those heroic thinkers who set Enlightenment rolling had no conception of how far it would have to roll before anything resembling liberté, égalité or fraternité would materialise or indeed if it ever would.
Neil Jordan’s fabulous book has my head spinning again. It is not heavy and moralistic; rather it is poetic, but it is about Enlightenment. Lord Edward (FitzGerald) is clearly a man ahead of his time, ready to absorb new ideas. It can’t have been easy but you start to understand that a man like him might feel that he had less to lose than, say, his brother who was Duke of Leinster and the sole inheritor (among his 18 siblings) of the estate. The ante was somewhat lower. It seems he got that wrong; he had lots to lose!
Well it’s true that reading this book raised so many emotions in me. But its also true to say that this book is a little gem and Neil Jordan can be easily forgiven for casting it in such a poetic and rose-tinted light. I couldn’t put it down. This is not a biography of Lord Edward, more a glimpse from the wings through the eyes of his negro man-servant Tony Small, whose own story, it turns out, is as extraordinary as his “master’s”. Jordan gets right inside Tony’s skin and even if it’s likely that Tony did not always see his circumstances in such a tolerant light, it is likely that he knew he had been saved from a much more cruel existence by Lord Edward (“call me Ned”) who has many characteristics to be praised when held up against the light of the times.
It’s written by accomplished cinema director Neil Jordan so I was not surprised to discover that the tone and style were very cinematic; short chapter which felt very much like scenes. Jordan writes poetically, with a light touch which made the book very easy to read. I galloped through it.
The Lord Edward he describes is heroic but flawed, full of contradictions. Clearly a modern thinker unfettered by classist views, I was troubled by his constant whoring, using girls from the lower classes while holding up his female peers as untouchables. All in all, the Irish gentry, as portrayed (and I realise I’m reading a novel), come across as a tolerant bunch of people who chat away cordially with their exotic servant while they dress him up as some kind of marionette (see picture), and have him sleep in the stable and travel on the roof of the coach or the open deck of the ship in all weather. Their arrogance in wishing to be address as “My Lord” or “My Lady” and their belief that nobility is a birthright and not a assessment of character make my blood boil. If I have any criticism it is that Jordan raced through the United Irishmen years when Edward had finally risen above those conceits.
The book left me wanting more. As luck would have it, lightning often strikes twice and another novelist took on the same theme at the same time as Jordan, so I will begin reading Words to Shape My Name by Laura McKenna next week. Stand by for a comparative review.
Neil Jordan’s fabulous book has my head spinning again. It is not heavy and moralistic; rather it is poetic, but it is about Enlightenment. Lord Edward (FitzGerald) is clearly a man ahead of his time, ready to absorb new ideas. It can’t have been easy but you start to understand that a man like him might feel that he had less to lose than, say, his brother who was Duke of Leinster and the sole inheritor (among his 18 siblings) of the estate. The ante was somewhat lower. It seems he got that wrong; he had lots to lose!
Well it’s true that reading this book raised so many emotions in me. But its also true to say that this book is a little gem and Neil Jordan can be easily forgiven for casting it in such a poetic and rose-tinted light. I couldn’t put it down. This is not a biography of Lord Edward, more a glimpse from the wings through the eyes of his negro man-servant Tony Small, whose own story, it turns out, is as extraordinary as his “master’s”. Jordan gets right inside Tony’s skin and even if it’s likely that Tony did not always see his circumstances in such a tolerant light, it is likely that he knew he had been saved from a much more cruel existence by Lord Edward (“call me Ned”) who has many characteristics to be praised when held up against the light of the times.
It’s written by accomplished cinema director Neil Jordan so I was not surprised to discover that the tone and style were very cinematic; short chapter which felt very much like scenes. Jordan writes poetically, with a light touch which made the book very easy to read. I galloped through it.
The Lord Edward he describes is heroic but flawed, full of contradictions. Clearly a modern thinker unfettered by classist views, I was troubled by his constant whoring, using girls from the lower classes while holding up his female peers as untouchables. All in all, the Irish gentry, as portrayed (and I realise I’m reading a novel), come across as a tolerant bunch of people who chat away cordially with their exotic servant while they dress him up as some kind of marionette (see picture), and have him sleep in the stable and travel on the roof of the coach or the open deck of the ship in all weather. Their arrogance in wishing to be address as “My Lord” or “My Lady” and their belief that nobility is a birthright and not a assessment of character make my blood boil. If I have any criticism it is that Jordan raced through the United Irishmen years when Edward had finally risen above those conceits.
The book left me wanting more. As luck would have it, lightning often strikes twice and another novelist took on the same theme at the same time as Jordan, so I will begin reading Words to Shape My Name by Laura McKenna next week. Stand by for a comparative review.
August 25, 2023
this is told from the point of view of Tony Small, the black manservant of lord Edward Fitzgerald, one of the United Irishman leaders of the 1798 Rebellion. I knew the history of 1798 going in, which was probably a bad thing as I found this so rushed - we only got to the Rebellion at page 266 (the book is 343 pages) and it was done and dusted in 20 pages. I knew the history but it was written so vaguely and even I was a bit lost. Names flung everywhere. The ending was so abrupt too. It reminded me a bit of Booth by Karen joy Fowler - about John Wilkes Booth but Lincoln was assassinated with 40-ish pages left of the novel. Lord Edward and Citizen Small could have been at least 200 pages longer. I’ve discovered that two books telling the exact same story from the same pov (tony small’s) came out a within week of each other in 2021, this being published first. I think to tell this story we needed more of lord Edward and Ireland as it’s so big. However, I’m glad this story was told as Irish history is so unexplored in historical fiction. The scenes were also very cinematic which makes sense, as Neil Jordan is an Irish film director (I’ve seen his 1996 Michael Collins). If this is his pitch for a future film, which I would love, then the novel does well on that front. The writing was not for me - it didn’t feel like a ballad and personally I don’t like books where dialogue isn’t in speech marks. I just find it annoying. Not a complete disappointment but could have been better. 3 stars
August 18, 2023
Based on actual people this book is told from the perspective of Tony Small, a runaway slave who saved Lord Edward's life during the American Civil War of Independence. I'm not familiar with Lord Edward myself but much is known about him. He was the brother of the Duke of Leinster and became a rebellion leader in Ireland in 1798.
Tony Small is an interesting narrator, a black slave from America who gains his freedom after saving Lord Edward and becoming his manservant. He travels to Ireland, England and Franc, back to America and back to Ireland again. Little is known about Tony Small but his viewpoint of slavery, captivity, freedom. rebellion and resistance makes for an intriguing story.
I really enjoyed this book. The narrative style was a bit unusual and the lack of quotation marks when people were speaking was a little confusing at times as the transition from thought to speech was very slight.
Tony Small is an interesting narrator, a black slave from America who gains his freedom after saving Lord Edward and becoming his manservant. He travels to Ireland, England and Franc, back to America and back to Ireland again. Little is known about Tony Small but his viewpoint of slavery, captivity, freedom. rebellion and resistance makes for an intriguing story.
I really enjoyed this book. The narrative style was a bit unusual and the lack of quotation marks when people were speaking was a little confusing at times as the transition from thought to speech was very slight.
August 26, 2023
I liked this fictional account of the relationship between Lord Edward FitzGerald and the enslaved Tony Small who rescued him from certain death during the American War of Independence even if the novel is just a sketchy rendering of the member of Ireland’s Protestant Ascendancy turned 1798 rebellion leader’s life. It’s written from Tony Small’s perspective so you never learn anything much about FitzGerald’s (who, through his mother Lady Emily Lennox, was a great-great-grandson of King Charles II) inner life. Jordan’s other career as a film director comes to bear very effectively with the cinematic pacing and other plot devices, which work very well in a literary genre as well. It could have done with more rigorous editing, though, as it mentions the now famous Dublin landmark Ha’penny Bridge, which wasn’t built until 1816, long after the events on which the novel is based.
July 20, 2023
Fascinating topic written in a rather strange style, narrated by a man, Tony Small, escaping slavery in the Carolinas in 1781. The British king has offered freedom to enslaved people and as he makes his way, he stops to save a British soldier, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, from dying in the swamp. Tony and Edward become a team, sort of friends, but always with a master/servant relationship as they travel the world from America to London, France to Ireland. They discover Thomas Paine’s writings on the Rights of Man, fueling revolutions from America to France to Ireland. And Tony finds another world in the theatre, where the story gets entangled between real life drama and the stage. Strange, interesting book on a fascinating time in the history of what it means to be free.
June 23, 2024
During the American Revolution, Tony Small, a runaway slave, rescues Lord Edward Fitzgerald as he lay badly injured after a battle. In return, Lord Edward grants, on the king's behalf, Small's freedom. Small, in return, signs on as Edward's manservant and follows him to England, Ireland, and France, becoming a trusted aide and sometime friend. The story affords a deep immersion in the culture--and, to a lesser extent, the politics--of England and Ireland at the end of the 18th century. It's cleverly told--narrated by Tony--but much of the cleverness was lost on me. Readers would benefit from more knowledge of the popular British plays of the era than I possess. Overall, I appreciated it even though I occasionally got lost in the weeds.
February 19, 2024
An elegantly written story of the lives of two understudied and fascinating men; Tony Small, runaway slave turned free manservant after saving the life of Anglo-Irish officer—and future failed United Irishmen revolutionary—Edward Fitzgerald. Told entirely in the first person from Tony’s perspective, Jordan imbues the prose with a beautiful simplicity and subtly deployed but vigorously researched historical detail. Highly recommended.
November 3, 2021
I really enjoyed this. Jordan can tell a good yarn. The narrative plays with the historical accounts but it's in the interests of story telling so can't argue too much with that. He finds the voice of the narrator and it's a fascinating look at a very unequal relationship. It's a little light but great fun.
March 1, 2024
This book was mixed. I quite like the style and the intermittent ballads that punctuate the chapters. However the characters were very 2 dimensional and didn't feel fleshed out. In particular Lord Edward felt like a list of things that happened to someone as opposed to a real person. It's a shame as the perspective of a former slave in this period would have been interesting.
December 26, 2021
An informative glimpse into a story that I had no knowledge of.
Read
March 22, 2023Good idea. But really an historical flop. No its crap. Save your hard earned money.
June 30, 2023
If I could I would put it in between 3 and 4 stars, it’s a very high 3 and a moderate 4. It’s a very nice story about friendship and it’s hardships but also a great historical read
December 10, 2023
Interesting story, but I found this more a literary work than historical and personally I prefer the historical.
November 14, 2024
The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small by Neil Jordan is a captivating novel that intricately explores themes of friendship, rebellion, and identity in the volatile historical setting of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. With a narrative that blends historical accuracy with imaginative re-creation, Jordan offers readers an engaging look into the relationship between the aristocratic Lord Edward Fitzgerald and his servant and confidant, Tony Small, an escaped slave from South Carolina.
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its vibrant portrayal of unlikely companionship. Jordan delves into the profound bond between Lord Edward, an Irish nobleman with a radical streak, and Tony Small, whose experiences as an escaped slave provide him with a unique perspective on freedom, loyalty, and resilience. Their friendship transcends social, racial, and political boundaries, and Jordan’s nuanced writing allows readers to feel the tension and warmth that such a relationship would entail in 18th-century Ireland. By telling the story through Small’s point of view, Jordan not only gives voice to a historically marginalized character but also sheds light on the complex, often-overlooked intersections of race and class during this period.
Jordan's prose is lyrical and evocative, capturing the Irish landscape with vivid detail while also grounding the reader in the harsh realities of the time. His narrative style has a poetic quality that mirrors the structure of a traditional ballad, fitting for a story steeped in oral history and folklore. This stylistic choice creates an immersive reading experience that feels both epic and intimate, blending the grandeur of historical events with the deeply personal narrative of Tony Small.
The novel also benefits from its historical accuracy. Jordan’s research shines through as he skillfully integrates real historical figures and events into the story, from the political turmoil in Ireland to the broader Atlantic world of slavery and colonialism. His portrayal of the United Irishmen's revolutionary zeal is compelling and highlights the era's ideological complexity, helping readers understand why figures like Lord Edward Fitzgerald were drawn to the cause.
Overall, The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small is a richly layered, thought-provoking novel that resonates with contemporary themes of freedom, equality, and solidarity. It stands as both a poignant historical novel and a tribute to friendship and loyalty across boundaries. Jordan's work invites readers to consider the complexities of personal and political loyalties, making it an unforgettable exploration of human connection against the backdrop of history.
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its vibrant portrayal of unlikely companionship. Jordan delves into the profound bond between Lord Edward, an Irish nobleman with a radical streak, and Tony Small, whose experiences as an escaped slave provide him with a unique perspective on freedom, loyalty, and resilience. Their friendship transcends social, racial, and political boundaries, and Jordan’s nuanced writing allows readers to feel the tension and warmth that such a relationship would entail in 18th-century Ireland. By telling the story through Small’s point of view, Jordan not only gives voice to a historically marginalized character but also sheds light on the complex, often-overlooked intersections of race and class during this period.
Jordan's prose is lyrical and evocative, capturing the Irish landscape with vivid detail while also grounding the reader in the harsh realities of the time. His narrative style has a poetic quality that mirrors the structure of a traditional ballad, fitting for a story steeped in oral history and folklore. This stylistic choice creates an immersive reading experience that feels both epic and intimate, blending the grandeur of historical events with the deeply personal narrative of Tony Small.
The novel also benefits from its historical accuracy. Jordan’s research shines through as he skillfully integrates real historical figures and events into the story, from the political turmoil in Ireland to the broader Atlantic world of slavery and colonialism. His portrayal of the United Irishmen's revolutionary zeal is compelling and highlights the era's ideological complexity, helping readers understand why figures like Lord Edward Fitzgerald were drawn to the cause.
Overall, The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small is a richly layered, thought-provoking novel that resonates with contemporary themes of freedom, equality, and solidarity. It stands as both a poignant historical novel and a tribute to friendship and loyalty across boundaries. Jordan's work invites readers to consider the complexities of personal and political loyalties, making it an unforgettable exploration of human connection against the backdrop of history.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews