Carys Davies’s historical novel, Clear, has won the main prize at the Wales Book of the Year awards. The news was shared by Literature Wales, which has run the event since 2004.
The story is set on a remote Scottish island in 1843. It follows a minister, John Ferguson, who arrives to evict the island’s last resident, a hermit named Ivar. The two men don’t share a language, but instead of the conflict he expects, Ferguson finds something like trust begins to form.
The judges described the novel as a “delicate, passionate and surprising piece of work,” noting how it explores boundaries – on maps, in language, and in our own lives.
For her win, Davies receives £4,000 and a unique trophy created by the artist Angharad Pearce Jones. The award ceremony took place at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff.
Judge Carol Burns explained the panel’s decision. “We were captivated by the story, its ambition, its rhythm, and how modern it feels,” she said. “In the end, the only real measure is artistic excellence, and Clear has that completely.”
In the Welsh-language category, the main award went to Camu (“A Step”) by Iola Einir. Her autobiography is a collection of essays about putting her life back together after losing her memory to alcoholism, trauma, and illness.
Leisa Llewelyn, the artistic director of Literature Wales, called the evening a huge night for Welsh writing. She congratulated Davies for her “subtle yet dramatic” novel.
The Wales Book of the Year award is given in four categories for both English and Welsh-language books: poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and children’s literature. Each category winner gets £1,000, and the overall winner receives an additional £3,000.
But the story of Clear is about more than its prize money. It’s a book about how trust can grow in the most barren places, and how people can find a way to hear each other, even without a common language.
