The winner of the Most Underrated Book Award 2019 is Ilka Tampke for Songwoman published by Text Publishing.
‘It is such a sweet honour to be recognised by an award like the MUBA. Especially because it comes for a book that I had thought had missed its chance,’ Tampke told ArtsHub.
The book is a sequel to her 2015 debut novel, Skin, though Songwoman can be read as a standalone. Tampke took several years to research the book creating a world that brings together fantasy and history. Judges praised the way the book ‘mastered the tone and cadence of artful world-building and her setting – Britain during Roman occupation – feels well-drawn, without being overburdened with historical minutiae.’
