ANZ LitLovers LitBlog

It will come as no surprise to those of us who have read and loved Robbie Arnott’s novel Limberlost, that it has been shortlisted for the 2023 Dylan Thomas Prize.

Limberlost by Robbie Arnott (Text Publishing/Atlantic Books): see my review

At turns tender and vicious, Limberlost is a tale of the masculinities we inherit, the limits of ownership and understanding, and the teeming, vibrant wonders of growing up. Told in spellbinding, folkloric spirit, this is an unforgettable love letter to the richness of the natural world from a writer of rare talent.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAY

Prajwal Parajuly on Limberlost by Robbie Arnott (Atlantic Books)
“We loved this book for its stunning sentences, its quiet meditation on masculinity, and its ability to conjure up (as well as transport us to) 1940s Tasmania. There’s a beautiful tenderness to Robbie Arnott’s Limberlost that impressed us. We are thrilled to have it on the 2023 shortlist.”

You can descriptions of and praise for the other shortlisted books on the prize website:

• Seven Steeples by Sara Baume (Tramp Press)
• God’s Children Are Little Broken Things by Arinze Ifeakandu (Orion, Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
• I’m a Fan by Sheena Patel (Rough Trade Press / Granta)
• Send Nudes by Saba Sams (Bloomsbury Publishing)
• Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head by Warsan Shire (Chatto & Windus, [Vintage])

Congratulations Robbie!!