Arja Kajermo’s fantastic debut novel has been longlisted for the prestigious Republic of Consciousness Prize! The Iron Age is, according to Joseph O’Connor, ‘a quiet, assiduously written short novel about a girl living in Finland among the looming shadows of war.’ Illustrated throughout by Susanna Kajermo Törner, The Iron Age ‘achieves the alchemy every writer would love to conjure up: it’s somehow about every childhood, every twilit life. A radiantly beautiful book.’
The Republic of Consciousness Prize was established by author Neil Griffiths, and seeks to find the ‘best novel published by a small press’. Griffiths says: ‘We weren’t just looking for great novels but ‘hardcore literary fiction and gorgeous prose’.
We’re thrilled that the Iron Age is following in the footsteps of Mike McCormack’s Solar Bones last year. Congratulations to Arja and Susanna!
A shortlist of five books will be announced in February 2018, with the winners to be announced at an event in March/April. Find out more here.