Gilgamesh is a novel published in 2001 by Australian author Joan London. It is her first full-length novel and is inspired by the Epic of Gilgamesh, the world's oldest known epic poem.
Plot
The novel is set primarily in the 1930s and follows the story of two sisters, Edith and Frances, who live on a farm in rural Western Australia. Their lives are disrupted by the arrival of two Armenian brothers, Aram and Leopold, who are refugees fleeing the Armenian genocide. The narrative traces the characters' journeys across continents—from Australia to Armenia and London—as they grapple with love, loss, displacement, and the search for belonging. The title and thematic structure draw parallels to the ancient epic's themes of friendship, journey, and mortality.
Publication Details
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Author | Joan London |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Pan Macmillan (Australia), Grove Press (United States) |
| Publication date | 2001 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 272 pp |
| ISBN | 0-8021-4121-8 |
| Followed by | The Good Parents |
Awards and Honors
- Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, Fiction (2001): Shortlisted
- New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Christina Stead Prize for Fiction (2002): Shortlisted
- The Age Book of the Year Award, Fiction Prize (2002): Winner
- Miles Franklin Literary Award (2002): Shortlisted
- Listed in The New York Times Book Review as one of the Notable Books of 2003
Reception
The novel was published with notable success in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and has also been published in Europe. It received positive critical reviews, including a review in The Guardian, and was recognized by the New York Times as a Notable Book of 2003.
