Isaacs wins first Island Prize for African debut novel
Sarah Isaacs has won the inaugural Island Prize for a Debut Novel from Africa with Glass Towers, her “beautiful and and carefully constructed” narrative about sexual abuse, family relationships and lingering racism.
The prize, which was launched this year by indie publisher Holland House in partnership with Karavan Press and author Karen Jennings, aims to give unpublished African writers from the continent and its diaspora the opportunity to showcase their work to a wider audience. The prize organisers define the term “African writers” as authors born in or having citizenship of any African country. South African writer Isaac’s winning novel was chosen from 120 entries from all over the continent.
The remaining four on the shortlist were also recognised for their manuscripts. Doreen Anyango was awarded second place for A Darkness with Her Name On It, an “ambitious” novel that explores finding identity in a changing, increasingly urban Uganda, while remaining aware of the importance of family ties.
Three novels were jointly recognised in third place. Set during the Aids pandemic in South Africa, Marina Auer’s “compelling” mystery novel Single Minded centres on the unexpected deaths of seemingly healthy patients, and was informed by her own experience as a doctor.
Sand Roses by Hamza Koudri thrusts the reader into the Algerian city of Bousaada during the 1930s, and relates a “well-researched and fascinating” account of the Ouled Naïl dancers, following the struggle of two sisters who earn their living under French colonial rule.
Joyce Odera‘s “wonderfully modern narrative” Delightful Cage is set in Lagos, Nigeria, and centres on a strong female protagonist, juggling love, work, family, money and friendship.
Holland House Books and Jennings will be working with all five shortlisted authors on finetuning their manuscripts and approaching agents, with a view to being published.
The judges were Jennings, award-winning Ugandan writer Hilda J Twongyeirwe and Nigerian novelist and short-story writer Obinna Udenwe.
