2024 Judges: Danielle Binks & Suzy Garcia
Winner: ‘Melting’ by Imii Lang
(Year 12, Princes Hill Secondary College, VIC)
DANIELLE: This is such an assured and deft piece of storytelling; anthropomorphism alongside the glitzy excess of over-consumerism and capitalism makes for a very poignant piece. It’s F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby meets Ceridwen Dovey’s Only the Animals, from someone who shows a lot of promise in the short-story form, particularly for how many layers—including subtle climate-fiction—can be read into this too.
SUZY: Imii Lang’s piece captures the theme of connection by highlighting how fleeting life can be. The idiosyncratic point-of-view—that of a melting ice sculpture—creates a distanced but always empathetic exploration of the human condition. This piece of fiction, beautifully vivid and compelling, asks the reader an important question: If our expiry is certain, how should we spend our time?
We’d also like to make special mention of two highly commended entries in the prize. These writers, in alphabetical order, are:
‘The Clock Keeps Ticking’ by Anwita Vasanth Koodalithazhathuveedu
(Year 10, The University High School, VIC)
DANIELLE: A beautiful short story on the human need for connection. Very Kaos meets Lore Olympus, by way of Severance. Corporatism into cosmic horror, and very clever—a brilliant, sparking idea.
‘Jewish People Love Food’ by Jemima Sirtes
(Year 12, Frensham School, NSW)
DANIELLE: A personal and reflective piece of memoir. Such raw and commendable honesty can be found on the page, with an Emma Seligman or Nadine J Cohen-quality of comedic and confessional. Beautiful, but bruising. Tucked into the humour is a heart-thumping realisation of all the ways conventional society wants us to be smaller—physically and emotionally—but this was a rousing piece that insists on reclaiming space via story.
General Judging Comments from Danielle Binks:
What a stunning collection of short stories from up-and-coming writers on the topic of connection! From far-reaching and fantastical genre fiction to deeply personal non-fiction, this shortlist was a feast for reading and a balm for my soul. To see such promise from young emerging Australian writers gives me real hope and excitement to see our literary landscape evolving for the future.
