First Chrysalide Prize for Literature goes to Louisa Merten
Published: Monday, Oct 14th 2024, 13:00
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This year's first Chrysalide Award goes to the author Louisa Merten for her novel manuscript "Aka". This prize was previously known as the Studer/Ganzpreis. Even under the new name, it is linked to the publication of the debut novel by Lenos Verlag.
In her first novel, Louisa Merten tells the story of Ginny in the first person. She works in an animal shelter where the atmosphere is characterized by concern for the animals and mutual distrust among colleagues. Ginny develops a double-edged relationship with intern Aka. This is one strand of the novel. In another, Ginny asks about her father and any connections her parents may have to the animal shelter and the people there.
"Aka" is a novel that "convincingly intertwines the world of work and the history of origin", according to the jury's justification for the award. This was announced by those responsible on Monday.
The author Louisa Merten was born in Zurich in 1998, grew up in Zambia and then lived in Oberaargau, among other places. After graduating from high school, she studied at the Swiss Literature Institute in Biel and at the Bern University of the Arts in Bern.
At the beginning of 2024, the Sophie and Karl Binding Foundation took over sponsorship of the Studer/Ganz Prizes. The foundation announced at the time that only the name of the prize was to change to Chrysalide - binding prize for literature. Incidentally, the term chrysalis refers to the developmental stage of a caterpillar shortly before it becomes a butterfly.
The award ceremony for this first Chrysalide Prize is planned for January 29 at the Literaturhaus Basel. The jury chose "Aka" from 66 manuscripts received. The novel is expected to be published in 2025.
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