Solà wins Nota Bene Prize for 'paean to Catalan culture'

Irene Solà’s When I Sing, Mountains Dance, translated by Mara Faye Lethem (Granta Books), has won the £1,500 Nota Bene Prize for 2023, while Julia Armfield’s Our Wives Under the Sea (Picador) was highly commended.

The prize focuses on stories which have received organic, word-of-mouth recognition from readers, and the winner was announced following an online campaign, a vote by a collection of readers and a judging process. The judging panel highlighted the "ingenuity, lyricism, and innovative style" of the book, which is described as "an experimental and lyrical exploration of sorrow, and a paean to Catalan culture and landscapes".

Solà said: "I am delighted that When I Sing, Mountains Dance has been awarded the Nota Bene Prize 2023. I was living in London when I wrote this novel, so this prize feels very special. Huge thanks go to Mara Faye Lethem, for her amazing translation.

"Thank to everyone at Graywolf and Granta, and thank you everyone at the Nota Bene Prize for making this possible.”

This year’s judging panel was made up of authors, editors, and content creators, with the aim of prioritising the inclusion of different viewpoints. Following a discussion, the judges agreed that Solà’s portrait of Catalonia, which is told from the perspectives of animals, ghosts, humans, and the natural landscape, prompted discussion and left a lasting impression. 

Oenone Forbat, chair of judges, explained: "It was like reading a book when you’re little and you’re left full of wonder. I felt like I was on a journey and in a different world; it was a really magical reading experience."

In a close decision for the winner, the panel also decided to award Armfield’s Our Wives Under the Sea a highly commended award. Armfield’s "oceanic, contemporary gothic tale" explores the relationship of couple Miri and Leah after a submarine mission goes wrong. The judges said they felt compelled by "the idiosyncratic nature of the story", which left room for interpretation.

The winning duo and highly commended author were announced at Refettorio Felix in London, where writers, publishers, content creators and booksellers gathered to celebrate this year’s shortlist in an evening chaired by influencer, podcaster and author Forbat. The prize was covered in a rebrand across socials and online, with interviews and reviews carried out by its editorial partner, nb. Magazine.

Sophie Percival, digital manager and co-ordinator of the Nota Bene Prize, commented "It’s been fantastic to see how much the reading community has backed this prize. The reading community lies at the heart of the Nota Bene Prize, and all our supporters and readers have really championed the incredible talent on the shortlist this year."

Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris (Duckworth) and I’m a Fan by Sheena Patel (Granta Books) were also among the books on this year’s shortlist. The other titles on the list were I’m Sorry You Feel That Way by Rebecca Wait (Quercus), Trespasses by Louise Kennedy (Bloomsbury) and Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart (Picador).