The Fjara Literary Prize 2025
The Fjara Literary Prize, a literary award for women and non-binary individuals, was presented at a ceremonial event at Höfði today. This marks the nineteenth presentation of the Fjara Literary Prize and the tenth year since the mayor of Reykjavík, a UNESCO City of Literature, became patron of the awards.
Mayor Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir opened the ceremony by welcoming guests to Höfði. She described the Fjara Literary Prize as unique in Icelandic cultural life, noting that it both highlights and celebrates the literary contributions of women and non-binary individuals.
Sigþrúður Guðmundsdóttir, chair of the Fjara Literary Prize Association, then announced the winners, who received award pieces created by artist Kogga.
The award recipients were:
In the fiction category:
Moldin heit (Hot Earth) by Birgitta Björg Guðmarsdóttir
In the non-fiction and general works category:
Jötnar hundvísir. Norrænar goðsagnir í nýju ljósi (Wise Giants. Nordic Myths in a New Light) by Ingunn Ásdísardóttir
In the children's and young adult literature category:
Tjörnin (The Pond) by Rán Flygenring
Selection committee reasoning
Moldin heit (Hot Earth) by Birgitta Björg Guðmarsdóttir
Art, nature and turbulent emotions converge in Moldin heit by Birgitta Björg Guðmarsdóttir. The rhythm of the poetic text drives the narrative forward with themes of love, loss and inner search. The text's form and use of color give the narrative depth, allowing readers space to interpret events that gradually unfold and culminate in the protagonist's solo dance. Birgitta Björg strikes a new and intriguing literary tone.
Jötnar hundvísir. Norrænar goðsagnir í nýju ljósi (Wise Giants. Nordic Myths in a New Light) by Ingunn Ásdísardóttir
In her book Jötnar hundvísir. Norrænar goðsagnir í nýju ljósi, Ingunn Ásdísardóttir presents an interesting portrayal of giants and their potentially different role than what has shaped public perception until now. By independently researching the role of giants in sources other than Snorri Sturluson's Edda, it appears giants played a more significant role; they were ancient and knowledgeable (hundvísir) rather than monsters. The book highlights how how vibrant and dynamic our national heritage is as a field of study, providing accessible material for curious readers while making a valuable contribution to Norse mythology research.
Tjörnin by Rán Flygenring
Tjörnin (The Pond) by Rán Flygenring explores themes including the joy of play, friendship and compromise. A garden serves as the favorite playground for two friends who one day notice a depression in the grass, which is where their adventure begins. The illustrations complement the text perfectly while reflecting modern Iceland, casually introducing young readers to interesting vocabulary like "slush pool" and "croquet arch." Tjörnin is both a beautiful and humorous artwork as well as an entertaining and educational story.
The selection committees consisted of:
Fiction:
- Jóna Guðbjörg Torfadóttir, secondary school teacher
- Kristín Ástgeirsdóttir, historian
- Sigrún Birna Björnsdóttir, secondary school teacher
Non-fiction and general works:
- Brynja Helgu Baldursdóttir, Icelandic studies specialist
- Hulda Steingrímsdóttir, environmental scientist
- Sólveig Ásta Sigurðardóttir, postdoctoral researcher in literary studies
Children's and young adult literature:
- Guðlaug Richter, Icelandic studies specialist
- Helga Birgisdóttir, assistant professor of Icelandic
- Júlía Margrét Sveinsdóttir, literary scholar