The Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) has announced the winners for the 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize.
Running since 2020, the prize is known as the richest individual literary prize in Australasia and is open to novels where the majority of the narrative takes place more than 50 years ago. Known as the richest individual literary prize in Australasia, the Adult category offers a generous prize of $100,000. A rare decision was made by the judging panel to select joint winners in the Adult category, with Tasma Walton and Robbie Arnott sharing the Adult category prize with I Am Nannertgarrook and Dusk respectively. Suzanne Leal won the Children and Young Adult category with The Year We Escaped, the story of four unlikely friends in WWII, with a prize of $30,000, and Emily Maguire was presented with $5,000 for the inaugural Readers’ Choice Award with Rapture.
Previous winners include Melissa Lucashenko (2024), Gail Jones (2023), Tom Keneally (2022), and two-time CYA winner Katrina Nannestad (2021, 2022).
‘This year’s results demonstrate the versatility of the genre to draw readers into richly imagined worlds stretching from the Holy Roman Empire through to Australia’s colonial past and onto WW2 France. Each author’s distinct voice resonates with their novels as they explore very different facets of untold history with stories of courage, intrigue, trauma and folklore,’ says Elisabeth Storrs, Chair of HNSA.
Edward Federman, the Executive Chair and CEO of the ARA Group which sponsors the prize says, ‘I am proud to support The ARA Historical Novel Prize, which continues to celebrate excellence in writing in this increasingly popular genre. I congratulate all the talented winners of the 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize.’
CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULT WINNER
· The Year We Escaped by Suzanne Leal
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