The Icelandic Literary Prize and Blóðdropinn, Icelandic Crime Awards 2024

Kristín Ómarsdóttir, Guðjón Friðriksson and Rán Flygenring have been awarded The Icelandic Literary Prize 2024. Stefán Máni was awarded "Blóðdropinn", The Icelandic Crime Awards

5. February, 2025

The Icelandic Literary Prize 2024

Fiction:

Kristín Ómarsdóttir
Móðurást: Draumþing
Publisher: Mál og menning
Foreign Rights: ICM partners, Anna Stein

From the judges' review: Móðurást: Draumþing, a fictional biography of Kristín Ómarsdóttir's great-grandmother, is a beautifully styled story of past generations in the late nineteenth century. The presentation is fragmented and poetic, showing an innovative approach to writing historical fiction. The author skillfully creates a setting that is both exotic and familiar, isolated and open, providing insight into the fragile psyche of a teenage girl standing on the threshold of adulthood and new emotions, bound by all the expectations and limitations her society imposes on her. The midsummer night, which frames the narrative, casts a spell of magic and strangeness over it, aligning well with half-told stories and what lies between the lines.

Children's and Young-Adult Books:

Rán Flygenring
Tjörnin
Publisher: Angústúra
Foreign Rights: Reykjavík Literary Agency

From the judges' review: 
Tjörnin is a multi-layered story about a world of wonders within the everyday life of children who find a dried-up pond in their garden, which then becomes filled with life. The book is suitable for children of all ages as well as adults and is an endless source of conversations and new discoveries, just like the pond itself. It touches on various topics, such as friendship, ownership, governance, cooperation, and even resource utilization, all under the guise of adventure and play. Imagination takes the lead in lively illustrations, and they work well together with the text, while Rán's unique visual world adds a lot to the story's text. Tjörnin is a beautiful and entertaining work that the reader can immerse themselves in, with the story deepening with each reading.

Non-Fiction:

Guðjón Friðriksson
Börn í Reykjavík
Publisher: Forlagið

From the judges' review:Börn í Reykjavík is a comprehensive and informative work about the history of children in the capital from the formation of urban areas to the present day. The style is light and playful, and it is written with sensitivity and delicacy about children's and families' issues, their living conditions, and environment, with the text enriched by personal stories. The author also highlights the daily lives of children during the period—the games, entertainments, school matters, and duties—and connects this to the developments and changes in the evolving urban society. The numerous photographs that adorn the book greatly enhance its documentary value, and through them and the lively narrative style, Guðjón manages to bring the story to life and paint a clear picture of the development of society and its impact on children. Börn í Reykjavík is a milestone work that is likely to reach a broad readership and increase understanding of the status and reality of children in both the present and the past.

"Blóðdropinn"
The Crime Fiction Awards:

Stefán Máni
Dauðinn einn var vitni
Publisher: Sögur útgáfa
Foreign Rights: Reykjavik Literary Agency

From the judges' review: 
This is a high-tension adventure where the police face an imminent threat to the lives of Reykjavik's residents, racing against time. The plot is fast-paced and exciting, and the countdown that the story revolves around grips the reader strongly. At the same time, the author continues to develop the colorful character and inner turmoil of the flawed policeman Hörður Grímsson in a convincing manner. The character descriptions are vivid and multifaceted, and the atmosphere of fear and horror is built up quickly and surely, while also paying attention to humor and the finer nuances of human life. The text is rich in imagery, and the setting and events are vividly portrayed in the reader's mind.