NZ’s best books
If there’s been a generational shift in New Zealand politics, it seems we’re also seeing one in our literature.
The 2018 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards’ shortlist has been announced with three emerging writers — including a first-time novelist — joining established author Patrick Evans in the running for the $50,000 Acorn Foundation Fiction Prize.
The books are Baby by debut writer Annaleese Jochems; lawyer Brannavan Gnanalingam’s Sodden
Downstream, novelist and creative writing teacher Pip Adam’s The New
Animals and Evans’ reimagining of Janet Frame’s time in Ibiza, Salt Picnic.
They were chosen from a longlist of 10 books which, when it was released in November, was also noted for the inclusion of new names such as Bonnie Etherington’s The Earth Cries Out and Dominic “Tourettes” Hoey’s
Iceland. Veteran writers such as C.K. Stead and Witi Ihimaera, who both released new books last year, missed out on a place on the longlist.
Yesterday’s release of shortlisted writers is likely to provoke further comment, given established writers Catherine Chidgey, Mandy Hager and Apirana Taylor were not selected and each of the shortlisted books has polarised readers and reviewers.
The Spinoff website named Jochems’ Baby as one its best books of 2017 and while it received widespread praise for the freshness of its writing and chilling lead character, others described it as “disturbing and surreal” and “selfabsorbed”. Of Gnanalingam’s fifth book,
Sodden Downstream, Herald reviewer David Hill thought it needed more rigorous editing and that there were stylistic stumbles, but Hill ended by saying Gnanalingam, whose book Two Pies and A Penthouse was longlisted in the 2016 book awards, was a distinctive, urgently relevant voice in NZ fiction. Adams’ The New
Animal was recognised as original and challenging but, overall, reviews were lukewarm, prompting Wellington writer Carl Shuker to pen a spirited essay in response to what he saw as the “shoddy response of most reviewers” to the book. The response to Salt
Picnic was more enthusiastic but the book flew largely under the radar.
Novelist, poet and academic Anna Smaill, journalist and reviewer Philip Matthews and award-winning bookseller and reviewer Jenna Todd judged the fiction prize. Todd, the convener of fiction judges, says they sought exciting and fresh stories. The four shortlisted titles stood out because they introduced characters not normally seen in NZ fiction and layered and truthful insights.
“I think we are seeing a new direction in NZ fiction,” says Todd. “We found these books surprising and the stories simply stuck in our minds. These authors are pushing at the edges of what is possible in fiction in a style that’s both engaging and brave.
“Maybe some of them will be polarising but that’s exciting to see our writers being more adventurous and kudos should go to publishers for putting out stories that aren’t safe. We really hope that New Zealanders will approach the books with an open mind and indulge themselves in some of these books.”
Glasgow-based writer, journalist and founding editor of the Scottish
Review of Books Alan Taylor will join them to decide on the overall winner.
NZ Book Awards Trust chair Nicola Legat says the shortlist demonstrates the diversity, depth and skill of our writers. Legat agrees it seems to signal a change in direction and given it’s the 50th anniversary of the NZ Book Awards says it’s an apt reflection of where NZ is at now.
“It’s a very modern list and while I don’t want to second-guess the judges, who have put a lot of thought into this, I think the fiction list shows where the novel can go and I think that’s incredibly interesting.”