The Raven's Song

Judges' comments

A body found in peat, streets named after lost children, a fence around a settlement, and a carefully managed ratio of people to land. Two timelines with children trapped in stasis, suspended in time, never to grow old. The Raven’s Song is about loss. The loss of a way of life and the sacrifice that children must make to keep the future prosperous or safe. Zana Fraillon and Bren MacDibble weave mysticism through the narrative and we realise how easily superstition can take hold. The dual storylines and distinct voices of the protagonists create a compelling, page-turning narrative.

The Raven’s Song also explores issues of sustainability and the consequences when balance is disrupted. The two stories combine to create a masterful, interwoven dystopian dream – one that feels close to what we were living through during Covid. This book speaks to the terror of pandemics through the eyes of children but also, ultimately, it affirms that hope and renewal are never far away. This children's novel is to be admired for its ambition, mixing elements of fantasy, sci-fi and dystopian genres without being burdened by usual tropes, instead assuring the reader that all the loose plots will weave together for the hopeful ending.