NEW RELEASE
History. A Mess.
by Sigrún Pálsdóttir
Translated from Icelandic by Lytton Smith
A young PhD student believes she has uncovered the first professional female artist in Britain. It’s a discovery that could transform her career and reputation. However, in her haste to break new ground, she has made a simple mistake which threatens everything – and she won’t acknowledge her error until it’s far too late. As she goes to ever greater lengths to protect her work from the truth, she begins to lose her grip on her thesis, her life and ultimately her sanity.
‘Pálsdóttir writes with the hand of a mystery author and the mind of a postmodernist, teasing out her protagonist’s problem while playing with literary forms, fragmenting timelines, and injecting fierce irony.’
Publishers Weekly
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The Peirene Stevns translation prize was established in 2018, with the generous support of Martha Stevns, to provide opportunities for emerging translators. The prize winner receives a £3,500 commission, a translation retreat in the French Pyrenees, and a mentorship from an established literary translator.
The 2022 Peirene Stevns Prize is now closed. The 2023 Prize will open in Autumn 2022.