Revenge (Lim novel)
 | |
| Author | S.L. Lim |
|---|---|
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Transit Lounge |
Publication date | 1 September 2020 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Pages | 240 |
| ISBN | 978-1-925760-58-3 |
Revenge: Murder in Three Parts is a 2020 novel by S.L. Lim. The novel is about a Malaysian woman named Yannie who is forced by her parents to care for them and to work at the family store while her brother Shan is allowed to attend university. After her parents' death, Yannie moves to Australia and attempts to undermine her brother's life.[1] The book won the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award and was shortlisted for the 2021 Stella Prize.[2][3]
Reception
[edit]Revenge received generally positive reviews. Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Kerryn Goldsworthy wrote that the book was a "complex novel about power, money, sexuality and systemic inequality, written with elegance and restraint".[4] A review in The Guardian praised the novel's opening, writing that Lim "establishes a tone so true to the emotional core of our heroine it felt like someone pressing on a sharp, sustained wound".[5] In a review in Australian Book Review, Mindy Gill gave a more mixed assessment, writing that the novel's dialogue was stilted in places.[6] A review in the Sydney Review of Books wrote that the novel had some missteps in the characterisation of its protagonist, but praised its exploration of misogyny and colonialism.[7]
Awards
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Barbara Jefferis Award | — | Won | [3] |
| 2021 | Stella Prize | — | Shortlisted | [2] |
| Queensland Literary Awards | The University of Queensland Fiction Book Award | Shortlisted | [8] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Revenge: Murder in Three Parts". Transit Lounge. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ a b "S.L. Lim – Revenge: Murder in Three Parts". Stella Prize. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ a b "S.L. Lim wins 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award". Australian Society of Authors. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Goldsworthy, Kerryn (4 September 2020). "Fiction reviews: Revenge - Murder in Three Parts and three more titles". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Tu, Jessie (4 September 2020). "Revenge by SL Lim review – disarming tale of a life lived with clipped wings". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Gill, Mindy (April 2021). "LOL! - A novel of revenge". Australian Book Review. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Tan, Cher (30 November 2020). "Abolish The Border". Sydney Review of Books. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ "History of the awards". State Library of Queensland. Retrieved 21 April 2025.