Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) have announced the winners for the 2023 ARA Historical Novel Prize.
This year’s winners demonstrates the true depth of talent of historical fiction authors. The winning novels demonstrate the irresistible prose, unforgettable characters, meticulous research, and epic storytelling for which historical fiction is known.
Chair and Program Director of the Historical Novel Society Australasia, Elisabeth Storrs, said, ‘The exceptional narratives selected for this year’s ARA Historical Novel Prize underscore the vastness and intricacy of our shared human journey. Drawing from the tapestries of our collective past, both Salonika Burning and The Bookseller’s Apprentice shine a light on the complexities of our human spirit, the fervour of resilience, and the delicate weave of friendships amidst societal upheavals.’
The winners are:
ADULT CATEGORY
Salonika Burning by Gail Jones READ OUR REVIEW
CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULT CATEGORY
The Bookseller’s Apprentice by Amelia Mellor. READ OUR REVIEW
The ARA Historical Novel Prize is worth a total of $100,000 in prize monies. The Prize will award $50,000 to the Adult category winner, with an additional $5,000 to be awarded to each of the remaining two shortlisted authors. In the Children and Young Adult (CYA) category, the winner will receive $30,000, while the two shortlisted authors will receive $5,000 each.
For more information about the awards and to see last year’s winners, please visit the HNSA website.
MORE INFORMATION
The ARA Historical Novel Prize has been made possible by the generosity of a Foundation Partner, ARA Group. The ARA Group, and its Founder, Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Edward Federman, are committed to supporting the arts and literature. They do this in a number of ways – as a Principal Partner of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, the Melbourne Writers’ Festival, the National Institute of Dramatic Art, and the Monkey Baa Theatre, and as Significant Partner of the Story Factory and as a sponsor of the Historical Novel Society Australia’s biennial conferences – and now as the sponsor of this very significant literary prize.
