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Fiction
Paperback book with dust jacket
20/40 Publishing Prize
Winning Book 2025 – Fiction
Winter is only beginning to thaw in a remote forest as Anna treks for her survival, accompanied by someone she cannot trust. With distilled clarity, this short novel carries the reader on a journey from victimhood to self-possession. The extreme circumstances of this story are written with a quiet yet incisive humanity that invites us to understand whether it is possible to come to terms with the irreconcilable, the unforgivable.
"Now in its third year, the Twenty/Forty Prize has already unearthed some pretty great books. This year’s (fiction) winner, Anna by Angus Gaunt, is the best yet. Anna becomes a universal tale of displacement and finding oneself beyond one’s circumstance. It’s dark, with only the odd flicker of light to give hope. And damn it’s good."
— Bram Presser
"There is much richness contained in this short book that explores power dynamics, survival, human resourcefulness and frailty with continual dramatic tension and beautiful writing that makes Anna a joy to read even at its most disturbing."
— Magdalena Ball, Compulsive Reader
"Anna is a remarkable book and perfectly suited to the shorter form of the novella. …I was soon wholly invested in Anna’s journey from dogged survival to a fragile re-emergence of self. … thought-provoking reading indeed."
— Lisa Hill, ANZ LitLovers
Angus Gaunt was born and educated in England and came to Australia in 1987. He now lives in Dharug/Guringai country at the northern edge of Sydney. He has mainly worked in IT, disability care, and second-hand books. His work has been published and nominated for awards in Australia, England and Ireland. His novel, Black Rabbit, was published in 2020.
Fiction
Paperback book with dust jacket
20/40 Publishing Prize
Winning Book 2025 – Fiction
Winter is only beginning to thaw in a remote forest as Anna treks for her survival, accompanied by someone she cannot trust. With distilled clarity, this short novel carries the reader on a journey from victimhood to self-possession. The extreme circumstances of this story are written with a quiet yet incisive humanity that invites us to understand whether it is possible to come to terms with the irreconcilable, the unforgivable.
"Now in its third year, the Twenty/Forty Prize has already unearthed some pretty great books. This year’s (fiction) winner, Anna by Angus Gaunt, is the best yet. Anna becomes a universal tale of displacement and finding oneself beyond one’s circumstance. It’s dark, with only the odd flicker of light to give hope. And damn it’s good."
— Bram Presser
"There is much richness contained in this short book that explores power dynamics, survival, human resourcefulness and frailty with continual dramatic tension and beautiful writing that makes Anna a joy to read even at its most disturbing."
— Magdalena Ball, Compulsive Reader
"Anna is a remarkable book and perfectly suited to the shorter form of the novella. …I was soon wholly invested in Anna’s journey from dogged survival to a fragile re-emergence of self. … thought-provoking reading indeed."
— Lisa Hill, ANZ LitLovers
Angus Gaunt was born and educated in England and came to Australia in 1987. He now lives in Dharug/Guringai country at the northern edge of Sydney. He has mainly worked in IT, disability care, and second-hand books. His work has been published and nominated for awards in Australia, England and Ireland. His novel, Black Rabbit, was published in 2020.