Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari’s Debut Novel Among Seventh Longlist of JCB Prize (image @SaharuNusaiba)
The JCB Prize for Literature has announced this year’s ten-novel longlist. The list features five books originally written in English, and five works translated into English from Bengali (two), Marathi (two), and Malayalam (one). Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari’s debut novel Chronicle of an Hour and a Half is among the shortlisted works. The shortlisted book will be revealed on October 23rd, and winner will be announced on November 23rd.
Kannanari’s work is based in village of Vaiga, situated at foothills of Western Ghats. An unstoppable storm sieged the village, but a bigger storm was brewing beneath. A rumour, an illicit affair, and frenzied WhatsApp messages unleash chaos to reign, with mob vying for blood.
Kannanari, based in Kerala’s Areekode, portrays nearly a dozen characters to tell the story of how gossiping can turn out deadly even for two adults engaged in a consensual relationship. The story also shed lights on how “mobs” are born.
The novel takes a walk through mob lynching and honour killing. Speaking to Scrolls, Kannanari, an alumnus of AMU and JNU, said both North India – where mob lynching has become a common phenomenon – and Kerala, are together in the matter. He said, “whatever is true of north India is equally true of Kerala as well so far as caste and misogyny goes. We are in this together, regardless of the preposterous differences in the social and economic indices. This is my understanding”.
The long list for the prize was selected from submission that represent writers from 16 states and books translated from seven different languages. The Director of the Prize, Mita Kapur said, “The 2024 Longlist presents a diverse array of Indian fiction, showcasing ten books that offer an evocative portrayal of the varied and complex nature of life in India. This year’s Longlist explores a range of themes and experiences, capturing both the intricacies of daily life and the more profound, extraordinary moments”, as quoted by Scrolls.
