2025 Dublin Literary Award shortlist features six authors

The Dublin Literary Award has announced its shortlist for 2025. Notable nominees include Paul Lynch, Michael Crummey, Selva Almada, Gerta Blees, Daniel Mason, and Percival Everett. The award offers a prize of €100,000 for the best novel. Paul Lynch's novel "Prophet Song" is highlighted as a powerful story set in a futuristic Dublin. It explores the impact of a totalitarian regime on an ordinary family. Lynch's writing style, which lacks paragraph breaks, intensifies the chaos and urgency of the family's struggle. Another contender, Michael Crummey's "The Adversary," is set in a bleak fishing village in the 19th century. It follows a violent feud between a tyrant and his sister. The novel uses graphic imagery to depict a grim world filled with despair. Selva Almada's "Not a River" presents a fishing trip taken by two men and a young boy, exploring themes of grief and poverty in Argentina. The narrative shifts back and forth in time, ending in a blend of dreams and reality. Gerta Blees's "We Are Light" revolves around a criminal investigation into the death of a woman in a commune. It creatively uses different perspectives for storytelling, presenting the story through the voices of various characters and objects. Daniel Mason's "North Woods" reflects on the history of trees and a house in Massachusetts. The book consists of interconnected stories, each revealing aspects of life and history in the region. Finally, Percival Everett's "James" reimagines the narrative of "Huckleberry Finn" from the perspective of Jim. It addresses complex themes around race and identity. The award ceremony is scheduled for May 22nd, 2025. All nominees are deemed deserving of recognition, and readers eagerly await the decision of the judges.