“Writing was my first love,” says Ryan Falzon, a name increasingly synonymous with the local art world. Known for his bright, colourful paintings of plants which explore growth and nostalgia, Falzon is not only a celebrated artist but now also an award-winning author. This year, he received the Best Emergent Author prize at the National Book Prize for his debut novel, Sajf.

Falzon’s recognition adds his name to a growing list of multidisciplinary artists who have been lauded for their literary talent. Previous winners of the award include Lon Kirkop, a printmaker and songwriter, who won in 2023 with Mitt Elf Isem Ieħor, and multimedia artist Matthew Schembri, who was honoured in 2022 for Stessi (2018) and Ħassartek (2021).

“It feels very nice, and the recognition is an important step in one’s professional development,” Falzon said, reflecting on the win. However, he emphasised that awards are never the end goal.

“The focus is on the work itself,” he added.

Sajf, Falzon’s debut novel, captures the millennial and Gen Z experience against the backdrop of a scorching Maltese summer. Vintage cars, excessive drinking and moral ambiguity frame the story, which unfolds through a first-person narrative.

Readers are drawn into the protagonist’s inner conflicts as they navigate a world marked by blurred lines between right and wrong. Themes of nostalgia, freedom and self-exploration weave through the novel, painting a poignant portrait of a generation caught between a pre-digital past and an ever-evolving future.

Falzon describes his writing style as “punchy,” drawing inspiration from both international and local authors. His literary influences include Hunter S. Thompson, Ernest Hemingway, J.G. Ballard, Richard Rayner and Irvine Welsh.

On the local front, he admires Immanuel Mifsud, Claire Azzopardi, Alex Vella Gera and Juan Mamo. He considers Mamo brilliant and despite having passed away in 1941, in Falzon’s eyes he still has a “punchy” style that resonates till today.

The book has been hailed as the “voice of a generation,” a title Falzon acknowledged the weight of. “Sajf addressed a void that is or was present in the local scene and the discourse,” he explained. Born in 1988, Falzon considers himself firmly part of the millennial generation, a group he describes as “inbetweeners”.

“We are stuck between the digital and analogue. We are witnesses to a big shift in our immediate environment, which is the island.”

We are stuck between the digital and analogue. We are witnesses to a big shift in our immediate environment, which is the island- Ryan Falzon

According to Falzon, no other novel has so strongly defined his generation. He believes millennials in Malta are shaped by a unique tension: deeply influenced by politics and religion while simultaneously rejecting these institutions. At the same time, they’ve been liberated by the internet and low-cost airlines, which have expanded their horizons.

Falzon’s exploration of the millennial mindset began over a decade ago, when he started writing snippets about his generation. However, it wasn’t until the summer of 2020 that he decided to fully commit to the project and give it a proper push.

“When writing it I was concerned and questioning if we could ever enjoy a 2019 summer without the pandemic baggage.”

He said that the subject came to him organically and as more of an afterthought.

Falzon during the awards ceremony, looking at the accolades received.

Once confident in what he formed, he contacted Glenn Calleja to edit and publish the book.

“Glenn was my first choice of who to work with, and the success of the book should also be attributed to him in part,” Falzon said.

The pair had collaborated on several projects before, and their established rapport made the publishing process seamless. Sajf was officially published in 2022.

The reception to Sajf has been overwhelmingly positive. For many, the novel doesn’t just tell a story but holds up a mirror to the complex realities faced by Malta’s younger generations. Despite the novel’s success, Falzon is not ready to put Sajf to rest.

 “I would love to keep breathing life into Sajf,” he said, hinting at the possibility of the book reaching international audiences.

Additionally, he revealed that he has been working on a new collection of short stories.

“They’re in the vein of Sajf but with a fresh perspective,” he said, adding that he hopes to release the collection in the near future.

Through its exploration of identity, nostalgia and the search for meaning to millennials, it has carved a space in Maltese literature that resonates with a generation navigating the complexities of a rapidly changing world.