Lucashenko, McWilliams win 2024 ARA Historical Novel Prize
Melissa Lucashenko has won the $100,000 ARA Historical Novel Prize in the adult category for Edenglassie (UQP), while Beverley McWilliams has won the $30,000 children and young adult (CYA) category for Spies in the Sky (illus by Martina Heiduczek, Pantera).
Presented by the Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) at a ceremony at Parliament House in Sydney, the awards recognise ‘the outstanding literary talents of novelists who illuminate stories of the past, providing a window into our present and the future’. The prize was established in 2020 and is open to historical fiction books from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
The adult category judging panel, which included Tony Maniaty (chair), Meenakshi Bharat, Sienna Brown, Catherine Chidgey and Michael Williams, said Edenglassie was ‘a fiercely original exploration of Australia’s past and its enduring consequences’.
‘Lucashenko’s deft handling of dual timelines illuminates the brutal realities of colonisation while celebrating the resilience of Indigenous cultures,’ said the judges. ‘Written with the wit, heart and intelligence that define her work, the novel’s virtuoso storytelling, nuanced characterisation and deep emotional insights make Edenglassie a standout. The climactic ending is a powerful convergence of the novel’s twin threads, offering an intensely moving, revelatory moment that leaves readers to reflect on the impact of history and the possibility of healing and renewal. A bold, timely work that enriches the landscape of historical fiction.’
This week, Edenglassie was announced as the winner of the Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award. Edenglassie previously won the Queensland Premier’s Award for a Work of State Significance, the fiction award at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, the adult fiction award at the BookPeople Book of the Year Awards, and the fiction award in the Indie Book Awards.
The CYA judging panel, which included which included Anna Ciddor (chair), Danielle Clode and Lystra Rose, said Spies in the Sky was ‘a beautifully constructed story about war, class, friendship—and pigeons’.
Said the judging panel: ‘From the opening pages the main character, “Royal Blue”—a privileged racing pigeon, takes us on a sweeping adventure from his luxurious home in the royal pigeon loft, into the war service and onto the front line. No matter how dark the events surrounding them, Blue and his feathered friends share support, humour and extraordinary courage. Based on the true story of messenger pigeons in the war, McWilliams provides a compelling and impeccably researched tale that is both uplifting and perfectly paced, as befits the incredible aerial skills of her main protagonists.’
The winners of both the adult and CYA categories were chosen from shortlists announced in September. This year, the overall prize pool increased from $100,000 to $150,000; the adult category winner receives $100,000, the children and young adult category winner receives $30,000, while the four other shortlisted authors receive $5000 each.
ARA Group founder, executive chair and managing director Edward Federman said: ‘It has been a pleasure to be involved in making a long-lasting contribution to the arts, particularly to the historical fiction genre that has not always received the attention it rightly deserves. Our hope is that the ARA Historical Novel Prize will not only make a considerable difference to the lives of this year’s winning authors, but also shine a light on the historical fiction genre and the work of all entrants.’
Last year’s winners were Gail Jones (adult category, for Salonika Burning, Text) and Amelia Mellor (children and young adult category, for The Bookseller’s Apprentice, Affirm).
More information about the prize is available on the HNSA website.
Category: Local news
