The Orange Prize for Fiction 2012

26 April 2012

The Orange Prize for Fiction is awarded exclusively to women authors and the winner for 2012 will be announced at The Royal Festival Hall on 30th May. 

 

Six authors have been shortlisted and chair of the 5 judges, Joanna Trollope, declared that it was a shortlist of "remarkable quality and variety".

 

The shortlist is:

 
Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan
 
This is a truly beautiful novel. It follows the experiences of a group of Black jazz musicians caught up in the terror and reprisals of Nazi Germany and the aftermath. Its focus is betrayal, loyalty and rivalry. Beautifully evocative and expertly researched this novel is a strong contender for the prize.

 
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
 
State of Wonder is rather a slow starter, but develops into an adventure story set in the depths of Brazil, involving one Marina Singh sent there to investigate the death of a colleague and the involvement of the mysterious and enigmatic scientist Dr. Swenson. There are rich descriptions of the jungles and tribes who inhabit it and the all prevailing threat of danger and death. The book is a remarkable piece of story telling.

 
The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright
 
Ann Enright's novel is full of wit, lyricism and pathos. The characters are skilfully drawn, the observations are sharp and perceptive. It's a painful love story, a story of conflict and betrayal and the somewhat sinister involvement of a child. The tale itself is ordinary, the characters belong to everyday but it is Enright's prose which makes this special.

 

  Painter of Silence by Georgina Harding
 
Painter of Silence set in Romania, beautifully portrayed in this novel, this is an enchanting story. The protagonists Safta and Augustin have a shared past. Augustin is mute and memories of the past are shared through his drawings. But there is more he needs to tell her, more about his life in war torn Romania after she left. The story telling is exquisite, tender yet heartbreaking as memories and secrets are revealed.

 

 

 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
 
This is a first novel for Madeline Miller and it is a superb re telling of a classical love story. Historically authentic it tells the tale of love between Patroclus and Achilles and the two could not be more different. Patroclus is weak and awkward, Achilles is beautiful and brave, but a deep loneliness draws them together. Drawn into the Trojan War through love and loyalty Patroclus follows Achilles and the path to heartbreak and tragedy. 
   Foreign Bodies by Cynthia Ozick
 
This is the sixth novel from the acclaimed American author Cynthia Ozick. The correlation between The Ambassadors by Henry James and Foreign Bodies is undeniable, but this in no way detracts from a very polished and skilled novel. Set in post war weary Paris, a city of refugees and war survivors, Ozick considers relationships and loves, lies and deceit. An accomplished work from a skilful writer Foreign Bodies is the current favourite for the prize to be awarded in May.