The Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction: Winner 2005

Judges report
Surrender by Sonya Hartnett (Viking/Penguin)

Part psychological thriller, part gothic tale, Hartnett’s intensely dark and wondrous story of Gabriel’s childhood mistakes and his uncertain relationship with the boy Finnigan and dog, Surrender, is thoroughly compelling. The unreliability of the narration coupled with the terrible revelations of the pact at the heart of the novel leaves the reader with a sense of deep unease. The interplay between the two consciousnesses as Hartnett leads the reader by stealth and allusion provides a disturbing tension that constantly challenges one’s expectations. Hartnett’s poetic vision is carried by language that is intelligent, visceral and organic.