Anne Michaels’ Held is a Stand-out of the 2024 Award Season

With autumn comes award season in the literary world and it’s the perfect time to catch up on some of the most celebrated works of recent fiction. I just finished reading Anne Michaels’ new novel entitled Held, which was shortlisted for both the Booker and Giller Prizes this year. To say that I was not disappointed is an understatement; it is such a rare and remarkable feeling to read a piece of literature that touches one on so many levels. Michaels is a poet as well as novelist and the stirring nature of her words clearly demonstrates that. Reading her book reminded me of the artistry that can come of the deceptively simple act of putting particular words side by side. I found myself reading and re-reading eloquent sentences like “The long fuse of memory, always alight” and “The snow in the dusk made him wonder if light was rising from the ground. Would he know the moment of his death or would it be like night falling.” I was mesmerized, her writing is just so stunning!

This is not a tale told in a traditional narrative, instead Michaels presents a profound exploration of time, love, life and death. The opening chapter is composed entirely of the rambling thoughts and reflections of John, a WWI soldier caught in a blast, who lies injured and immobile on a French battlefield. The chapters to follow jump around to different time periods, locations, and characters, but it is the themes that remain the same. Michaels explores such deep ideas as war and grief, the ephemeral nature of memories, and the role that science plays in all of this. I think I could read this novel ten times over, and each time new and different imagery would arise, and bigger and bigger questions would be asked as I soaked in her rich and achingly beautiful language. If I haven’t already peaked your interest, maybe Michaels perfect opening sentences will: “We know life is finite. Why should we believe death lasts forever?”

You may also want to check out some of the other shortlisted books from this award season.