The Sunlit Zone
 | |
| Author | Lisa Jacobson |
|---|---|
| Genre | Verse novel |
| Publisher | 5 Islands Press |
Publication date | 2012 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| ISBN | 9780734047465 |
The Sunlit Zone is a 2012 verse novel by Lisa Jacobson.[1] The novel is set in Melbourne in 2050, after the seas have risen and the land has dried out, and features characters who are hybrids of sea creature and human.[2] The novel, which was originally written as Jacobson's PhD thesis, was shortlisted for the Unpublished Manuscript Award at the 2009 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards and was shortlisted for the 2013 Stella Prize.[2][3]
Reception
[edit]The Sunlit Zone received generally positive reviews. In Australian Book Review, Peter Kenneally wrote that there was some immaturity to the work and that it told more than it showed, but that it had a strong overall impact on the reader.[2] In The Australian, Liam Davison wrote that the novel had an engaging story and that its verse had an "elegiac quality" and "mythic impetus".[4] In the Mascara Literary Review, Linda Weste wrote that the work had a "compelling narrative and meticulous poetic rhythm".[5]
Awards
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature | John Bray Poetry Award | Won | [6] |
| 2013 | Stella Prize | — | Shortlisted | [3][7] |
| Prime Minister's Literary Awards | Poetry Award | Shortlisted | [8] | |
| 2009 | Victorian Premier's Literary Awards | Unpublished Manuscript Award | Shortlisted | [3] |
References
[edit]- ^ "The Sunlit Zone". 5 Islands Press. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Kenneally, Peter (July–August 2012). "The Sunlit Zone by Lisa Jacobson". Australian Book Review. No. 343. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "The Sunlit Zone – Lisa Jacobson". Stella Prize. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ Davidson, Liam (22 September 2012). "Verse novel navigates zones of longing and belonging". The Australian.
- ^ Weste, Linda (2 June 2013). "Linda Weste reviews The Sunlit Zone by Lisa Jacobson". Mascara Literary Review. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ Lewis, Rod (1 March 2014). "Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature winners announced". GLAM Adelaide. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ Lea, Bronwyn (17 April 2013). "Carrie Tiffany wins a Stella Prize of her own". The Conversation. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ Steger, Jason (17 January 2014). "Words at the heart of it all". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 June 2025.