The Strays (novel)
2014 novel by Australian author Emily Bitto
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The Strays is a 2014 novel by the Australian author Emily Bitto, her first.[1] It won the 2015 Stella Prize.[2]
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| Author | Emily Bitto |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Affirm Press |
| Publication date | 1 May 2014 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 290 pp. |
| Awards | 2015 Stella Prize winner |
| ISBN | 9781922213211 |
The Strays is a fictionalisation of the 1930s group of Australian artists known as the Heide Circle. Bitto has said that she "tried to capture (...) the romance and excitement of that circle; the sense of the new that stirred the stale waters of outer Melbourne when a group of artists came together to work and live side by side, to buck the establishment and create their own small utopia within the confines of an old house and a large, thriving garden."[3]
The Age described it as "an eloquent portrayal of the damage caused by self-absorption as well as a moving study of isolation".[4] It was awarded the A$50,000 Stella Prize for the best book of fiction or nonfiction by an Australian woman. The Stella Prize judges described The Strays as "like a gemstone: polished and multifaceted, reflecting illuminations back to the reader and holding rich colour in its depths."[5]
Synopsis
In her old age Art History lecturer Lily recalls her childhood in 1930s Melbourne when she had a friendship with Eva Trentham, daughter of the famous artists Evan and Helena Trentham.
Critical reception
James Tierney reviewed the novel for the Australian Book Review and noted that "Bitto has a deep interest in the transformative power of memory, in how life’s chaos is shaped into story."[6]
Writing for the Text journal Ruby Todd called the book "elegant", noting that she has created a "resonant novel".[7]
Publishing history
After the novel's initial publication in Australia in 2014 by Affirm Press[1] it was reprinted as follows:
- Affirm Press, Australia, 2015[8]
- Legend Press, UK, 2016[8]
- Twelve, 2018, USA[8]
- Affirm Press, Australia, 2021[9]
Awards
- 2013 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards — Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer, shortlisted[10]
- 2015 Stella Prize, winner[2]
- 2015 Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Debut Fiction, shortlisted[11]
- 2015 Nita Kibble Literary Awards — Dobbie Award, shortlisted[10]
- 2015 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards — UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, shortlisted[10]
- 2016 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, longlisted[10]
Notes
The author was interviewed by The Guardian newspaper after the novel was shortlisted for the Stella Prize.[12]