An Uncertain Grace
 | |
| Author | Kris Kneen |
|---|---|
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Text Publishing |
Publication date | 27 February 2017 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Pages | 256 |
| ISBN | 9781925355987 |
An Uncertain Grace is a 2017 novel by Kris Kneen.[1] The book contains five interlinked stories and combines elements of the genres of speculative fiction and erotica, exploring themes of sexuality and post-humanism.[2] The book was shortlisted for the 2018 Stella Prize.[3]
Summary
[edit]The novel is composed of five stories connected by their main character Liv. In the first, Liv sends a virtual reality bodysuit to her former lover so that he can experience their sexual relationship from her point of view. In the second, a sex offender named Ronnie has his consciousness fused with a jellyfish in order to commute his sentence. In the third, an android child who has been built to engage in relationships with pedophiles begins to develop his own consciousness. In the fourth, Liv encounters a teenager who is undergoing a technologically-enhanced gender transition. And in the final story, Liv, now 129 years old, develops a relationship with a sex worker.
Reception
[edit]The book received generally positive reviews, but attracted some controversy. In a review in The Saturday Paper, a reviewer argued that the book's "sympathetic portrait of paedophilia and the naturalisation of child sexuality are deeply unsettling". The reviewer argued that Liv was a clear stand-in for the author, who they noted was known for her sexual libertarianism, and that the book's resulting self-righteousness was ultimately irritating.[4] In a more positive review in The Sydney Morning Herald, Cameron Woodhead wrote that Kneen's "imaginative leap towards a transhuman world is endlessly curious and inventive, provocative and inspiring".[5] Doug Wallen concurred in a review in The Australian, describing the book as a remarkably immersive read.[6] A review in the Sydney Review of Books criticised Kneen's writing about technology for being unconvincing, but concluded that An Uncertain Grace was a "strange, daring and clever novel".[7]
Awards
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Stella Prize | — | Shortlisted | [3][8] |
| 2017 | Aurealis Award | Best Science Fiction Novel | Shortlisted | [9] |
References
[edit]- ^ "An Uncertain Grace". Text Publishing. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ Nelson, Camilla (10 April 2018). "Provocative, political, speculative: your guide to the 2018 Stella shortlist". The Conversation. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ a b "An Uncertain Grace – Krissy Kneen". Stella Prize. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ KN (4 March 2017). "An Uncertain Grace". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ Woodhead, Cameron (23 May 2017). "An Uncertain Grace review: Krissy Kneen hits top form with sci-fi and erotica". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ Wallen, Doug (11 March 2017). "Krissy Kneen tackles morality and mortality in An Uncertain Grace". The Australian. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ Menzies-Pike, Catriona (6 July 2017). "A Fluctuating Charm: An Uncertain Grace". Sydney Review of Books. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ "Stella prize shortlist: Michelle de Kretser and Alexis Wright among nominees". The Guardian. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ "2017 Aurealis Awards shortlist announcement". Aurealis Awards. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2025.