The Swan Book is the third novel by the Indigenous Australian author Alexis Wright. It met with critical acclaim when it was published in 2013, and was shortlisted for Australia's premier literary prize, the Miles Franklin Award.[1][2]
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Alexis Wright |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Darren Gilbert |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Giramondo Publishing |
Publication date | 2013 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Pages | 339 pp |
| ISBN | 978-1-922146-83-0 |
| OCLC | 849317121 |
| Preceded by | Carpentaria |
Premise
editThe Swan Book is set in a dystopian future shaped by the impacts of climate change in which Aboriginal people still live under the Intervention in the north. They face both cultural and environmental challenges, which pervade the novel's landscape regularly. The central character, Oblivia, a young Aboriginal woman, grapples with the enduring traumas of her past and establishes a unique bond with swans. Pulled from a tree as a child after having been lost and gang raped, she is raised by a European immigrant, who shapes her worldview. After the death of her guardian, she is thrust into the national spotlight when she marries Warren Finch, an Aboriginal man who rises to become the first Indigenous President of Australia. Though married to Warren, Oblivia remains emotionally distant, haunted by her past and connection to the swans. The marriage is more political than personal, and Oblivia struggles to find her place in an alien and hostile world, retaining a childlike mind even as an adult.
Interweaving Aboriginal mythology, ecological motifs, and post-colonial analysis, the narrative presents an examination of Australia's environmental and societal challenges.
Reviews
editAwards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ALS Gold Medal | — | Won | |
| Miles Franklin Award | — | Shortlisted | ||
| New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards | Christina Stead Prize for Fiction | Shortlisted | ||
| Stella Prize | — | Shortlisted | ||
| Victorian Premier's Literary Awards | Indigenous Writing | Shortlisted | [3] | |
| 2016 | Kate Challis RAKA Award | — | Won |
External links
editFootnotes
edit- ^ Webb, Jen. "Living wound: The Swan Book". Australian Book Review. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
- ^ Gleeson-White, Jane. "Going viral". Sydney Review of Books. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
- ^ "Lucashenko wins 2014 Vic Prem's Literary Award for Indigenous Writing". Books+Publishing. 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2020-12-09.