Sarah Holland-Batt is a professor of Creative Writing at the Queensland University of Technology and the author of two previous poetry collections — Aria (2008) and The Hazards (2015).[2] Her father, Dr Anthony Holland-Batt, suffered from Parkinson's disease for 20 years before his death in 2020, and developed dementia in his later years.[3] He experienced abuse and neglect during his time in aged care facilities, leading Sarah Holland-Batt to become an activist for improvements to aged care conditions.[4] She gave testimony at the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and has written extensively on her father's experiences in care.[5][6]The Jaguar has been described as an extension of her activism, with Holland-Batt describing conditions in aged care facilities as a "human rights crisis" that demands greater public attention.[4][7]
Reception
The Jaguar received positive reviews in Australian Poetry Review,[8] The Sydney Morning Herald,[9]The Conversation,[10]The Times Literary Supplement[11] and Australian Book Review.[12] The collection was described by the Stella Prize judges as consisting of "tender, memorable poems that capture grief and loss and love through unforgettable imagery, often blended with humour".[2] Reviewers praised Holland-Batt's highly metaphorical use of language and her exploration of themes of death and illness.[9][8] Writing in The Conversation, Julieanne Lamond wrote that Holland-Batt's poetry features "a combination of ruthlessness and tenderness, clear-eyed witness and imaginative flight".[10]
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