Adam wins 2019 Desmond Elliott Prize

Claire Adam has won the 2019 Desmond Elliott Prize for first-time novelists for Golden Child (Faber).

The winning novel, which follows the lives of a family living in rural Trinidad, was chosen from a shortlist of three that included Hold (Michael Donkor, Fourth Estate) and Devoured (Anna Mackmin, Propolis).

Chair of judges Alan Hollinghurst said: ‘Claire Adam demonstrates masterly control as she details the tragic fracturing of a family, and the beauty and the latent violence of her Trinidadian setting are miraculously vivid. Her novel combines the harsh force of a fable with the unforgettable strangeness of real life and, like all the very best debuts, Golden Child gives a sudden and enlightening view of both a new subject and a new mind.’

Adam receives a cash prize of £10,000 (A$18,370). For more information about the award, see the website.

Category: International news