Mere weeks after the Longlist was issued, the 2021 Stella Prize Shortlist has been announced! The twelve nominees have been whittled down to six finalists in the running for this important literary award.
The 2021 shortlist is as follows:- Rebecca Giggs - Fathoms: The World in the Whale
- SL Lim - Revenge: Murder in Three Parts
- Laura Jean McKay - The Animals in that Country
- Louise Milligan - Witness
- Miranda Riwoe - Stone Sky Gold Mountain
- Evie Wyld - The Bass Rock
In compiling this shortlist, the chair of the judging panel, Zoya Patel, says:
“The 2021 Stella Prize shortlist truly demonstrates the immensity of talent in Australian women and non-binary authors. This shortlist is varied, diverse, and reflects on urgent themes across the gamut of human experience. These books explore grief, loss, joy, hope, and anger. They feature strong and imposing women characters and authorial voices, and as diverse as they are in style, tone and topic, they are united by their expression of the Stella criteria of original, excellent and engaging.”
For more information and the complete judges comments, see the Stella Prize website.
When the longlist was announced, I predicted the shortlisted works would include McKay, Milligan, Riwoe, Simpson and Wyld. I got four of them right! I only wish there was more time to enjoy the longlist before the shortlist was announced.
The winner will be announced on 22 April 2021. I have read and loved Louise Milligan's compelling Witness and I am cheering her on for the win. I have just started Evie Wyld's The Bass Rock and so far it is wonderful.