The Costa Book Awards 2020

 

This annual prize has five categories – First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book – with one of the five winning books selected as the overall Costa Book of the year (to be announced on the 26th January).

Here are the five category winners, which one will win this year’s grand prize?

Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud

Brave and brilliant, steeped in affection, Love After Love asks us to consider what happens at the very brink of human forgiveness, and offers hope to anyone who has loved and lost and has yet to find their way back.

The Mermaid of Black Conch: A Love Story by Monique Roffey

April 1976: St Constance, a tiny Caribbean village on the island of Black Conch, at the start of the rainy season. A fisherman sings to himself in his pirogue, waiting for a catch – but attracts a sea-dweller he doesn’t expect.

The Louder I Will Sing by Lee Lawrence 

The Louder I Will Sing is a powerful, compelling and uplifting memoir about growing up in modern Britain as a young Black man. It's a story both of people and politics, of the underlying racism beneath many of our most important institutions, but also the positive power that hope, faith and love can bring in response.

The Historians by Eavan Boland

A forceful and moving final volume from one of the most masterful poets of the twentieth century. These extraordinary, intimate narratives cling to the future through memory, anger, and love in ways that rebuke the official record we call history.

Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant

In the aftermath of World War One, everyone is trying to rebuild their lives. Buffeted by storms, chased by the police, Lotti, Ben, Clara and a growing number of dogs set out on an epic journey, on the search for lost loved ones and a place to call home.

 

Mae gan y wobr flynyddol hon bum categori – Nofel Gyntaf, Nofel, Bywgraffiad, Barddoniaeth a Llyfr Plant – gydag un o’r llyfrau buddugol yn cael ei ddewis fel Llyfr y Flwyddyn Costa (i’w gyhoeddi ar 26ain Ionawr).

Dyma’r pump buddugol yn y categorïau. Pa un a fydd yn ennill y wobr fawr eleni?

Love After Love gan Ingrid Persaud

Dewr a rhagorol, yn llawn hoffter. Mae Love After Love yn gofyn i ni ystyried beth sy’n digwydd ar ymyl dibyn maddeuant dynol, ac yn cynnig gobaith i unrhyw un sydd wedi caru a cholli ac sydd eto i ganfod eu ffordd yn ôl.

The Mermaid of Black Conch: A Love Story gan Monique Roffey

Ebrill 1976: St Constance, pentref bechan ar ynys Black Conch yn y Caribî, ar ddechrau tymor y glaw. Mae pysgotwr yn canu iddo’i hyn yn ei pirogue, wrth aros i ddal rhywbeth – ond mae’n denu preswylydd y môr nad yw’n ei ddisgwyl.

The Louder I Will Sing gan Lee Lawrence 

Mae The Louder I Will Sing yn gofiant grymus sy’n codi calon am dyfu i fyny yn y Brydain fodern fel gŵr ifanc Du. Mae’n stori am bobl a gwleidyddiaeth, o’r hiliaeth sylfaenol islaw llawer o’n sefydliadau pwysicaf, ond mae hefyd yn adrodd am y pŵer cadarnhaol y gall gobaith, ffydd a chariad eu cynnig mewn ymateb.

The Historians gan Eavan Boland

Cyfrol olaf rymus gan un o feirdd gorau’r ugeinfed ganrif. Mae’r adroddiadau hynod, agos atoch yma yn gafael yn y dyfodol drwy atgofion, dicter a chariad mewn ffyrdd sy’n gwrthod y cofnod swyddogol rydym yn ei alw’n hanes.

Voyage of the Sparrowhawk gan Natasha Farrant

Ar ôl y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, mae pawb yn ceisio ailadeiladu eu bywydau. Gyda thymhestloedd yn eu taro, a’r heddlu ar eu hôl, mae Lotti, Ben, Clara a nifer cynyddol o gŵn yn cychwyn ar daith fawr, i chwilio am anwyliaid a gollwyd a rhywle i’w alw’n gartref.