Michelle de Kretser has added the prestigious $60,000 Stella Prize to her impressive collection of accolades, winning for her audacious eighth novel, Theory and Practice, per theguardian.com. The two-time Miles Franklin winner’s latest work, praised by judges for “expanding our notions of what a novel can be,” blurs the lines between fiction and memoir, challenging readers to rethink narrative conventions.
De Kretser, known for her witty and intellectually stimulating prose, describes her intent not as “breaking forms, as to invent new ones.” Theory and Practice opens with a seemingly unrelated abandoned novel before abruptly shifting into what appears to be a memoir. This “brilliantly auto-fictive knot” explores the life of a young Sri Lankan-Australian woman studying English literature in 1980s Melbourne, prompting questions about mimesis and the representation of reality.
The Stella Prize judges lauded the novel as a “sharp examination of the complex pleasures and costs of living.” De Kretser’s clever playfulness and insightful observations, often delivered with disarming humour, have captivated critics and readers alike. Theory and Practice is as much a triumph of form as it is a deeply relatable and funny exploration of legacy, feminism, and the often-uncomfortable gap between intent and action. This groundbreaking work solidifies de Kretser’s reputation as a literary force constantly pushing the boundaries of the novel.
•Featured image: Michelle de Kretser/Bec Lorrimer/The Guardian
