WEYBURN – Weyburn author Anne Lazurko received the Fiction Award for her second novel, What Is Written On the Tongue, at the Saskatchewan Book Awards on Friday evening.
This award is presented to a Saskatchewan author “for the best work of fiction, novel or short fiction, judged on the quality of writing.”
“It's wonderful to be recognized with this award, mostly because of the recognition it shows for the long and hard work put into the novel,” said Lazurko. “Also, because it's based on events in the lives of my parents, it means so much that the jury (and readers) understand that the book is about more than the tragedy of war. It's about family and love and survival, and how circumstances shape our character and our response to events.”
She added that “to be shortlisted with the other wonderful authors was amazing, and then to win was such a huge moment.”
In the jury’s comments on her novel, they said the book “is historical fiction at its finest. Beautifully rendered, character-driven, a force of family and love and war, Anne Lazurko’s book shines with deep authenticity.”
They also commented on how the narrative was laid out and the characters were presented.
“The balance of first and third-person narrative and the shifts between Holland, Germany and Java across various years from 1943 to 1948 are smooth and masterfully handled. Character development is realistic and affecting right up to the poignant and melancholy ending. This author’s control of her subject matter and of the story were exceptional,” they said.
“I was able to celebrate with all five of my sisters and my husband David and daughter Maddy, as well as long time friends who were all in attendance,” said Lazurko.
“The Saskatchewan Book Awards, Saskatchewan Libraries Association, and the Saskatchewan Writers Guild did just an amazing job organizing the awards and putting the gala together. I'm very grateful.”
