We’re a day away from the 2017 Stella Prize announcement. I’m excited.
I’ve read all of the shortlisted books and have put myself in the judges’ shoes.
And it seems there will be a three-way tie… Is that allowed? It comes down to Between a Wolf and a Dog by Georgia Blain; The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke; and The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose.
I loved all of these books equally, but for different reasons (Wolf for its quiet intensity; Hate Race for its raw power; Museum because it’s dazzlingly original).
Find my reviews here:
Between a Wolf and a Dog by Georgia Blain
The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke
The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose
An Isolated Incident by Emily Maguire
Dying: A Memoir by Cory Taylor
Poum and Alexandre by Catherine de Saint Phalle
If pressed, I would say that The Hate Race will take the prize – it’s timely (in fact, overdue), beautifully written and important.
Interesting! Haven’t read the shortlist but have read Museum of Modern Love and thought is was dazzling too – and ambitious in a way that should be encouraged in Australian women writers. I hope it wins.
It really is an incredibly creative book.
I have read them all, and I think an Isolated Incident or Dying will win the prize. However, I think all are deserving.
I’ve read all your reviews – nearly the same thing as reading the book – and from a purely literary pov I’m barracking for Heather Rose.
Agree with Museum from a literary pov- it really is an extraordinary book that’s quite unlike anything I’ve read.
It’s hard to call. I had hoped to have read them all at this stage but have only read four. I did not care for the Blain at all and I think it would be a waste, as harsh as this sounds, for a dead writer to win this prize, because it would deprive living writers who need the exposure/money. I think as a novel, The Museum of Modern Love does extraordinary things; it’s really unlike anything I’ve ever read, so I’d be happy to see this one win. I’d be happy to see The Hate Race win, too, because it addresses racism in such a personal manner and shines a very big spotlight on a problem that needs to be discussed and sorted. And she writes it so eloquently that it’s an effortless, if heart rending read. Really looking forward to seeing who takes the prize.
Quite extraordinary to have two writers on the shortlist who died within months of their books being published.
My feeling is that Poum is lovely but niche and Isolated Incident is in the same territory as last year’s winner (Natural Way of Things). Reckon Hate Race has it in the bag for the reasons you’ve mentioned.
I think you might be right.
A worthy winner in Rose 😀
Very much agreed
I love the fact these are books that are now appearing on other lists. Too often we seem to see the same books make the rounds of the prizes….