The Parrot Matchmaker - Paperback

by Felix Adeoti Oguntoye (Author)

Robinson Crusoe meets Romeo and Juliet in Africa. In love with the beautiful and wealthy Aderonke, Remi a poor peasant in the village was looking too far above his station-or so thought many of his many wealthier rivals for Aderonke's hand. and yet, slowly, he was winning her heart. When two of Aderonke's suitors conspire to have Remi kidnapped and killed, the hired thugs beat him and threw his battered body into the sea-but unknown to them Remi is still alive, though unconscious. Washing up on an uninhabited coral island, with no tools, no shelter, and no idea where he is or how to get back home. Remi must learn to survive in the wilderness-and trust in his faith that he and his beloved will be reunited.

Author Biography

Felix Oguntoye, born and raised in Nigeria, is the grandchild of two different Nigerian traditional healers and medicine men who could call to the spirits of lost souls across great distances and harsh conditions, much as Aderonke's grandfather does in this debut novel. Raised in a westernized household but in a traditional village, he became fascinated by the storytellers of his village, and developed an interest in the Yoruba culture and rituals of his ancestors and neighbors. As a very young boy, he often assisted his grandmother selling smoked fish at the village market, where he got to know a very smart and talkative parrot-who liked to sing Yoruba folksongs along with the children. Emigrating to the United States in 1974, Felix maintained frequent contact with Africa through a career in international trade that had him traveling around the world. He lives in the Atlanta area and has three grown children.