The Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist has been announced – and we’re so excited. This is our Super Bowl, after all. The judges have deliberated, and the six shortlisted books are finally here, whittled impossibly down from the sixteen-title long list released in March. The shortlist is described as “ambitious, diverse, eclectic, and hard-hitting” by Chair of Judges Louise Minchin, who is joined by Bella Mackie, Rachel Joyce, Irenosen Okojie and Tulip Siddiq on the panel.
Now in its twenty-eighth year, the Prize has become a significant part of the literary calendar, the light green sticker adorning chosen titles an internationally recognised accolade. Half of the shortlist is comprised of debut novels from three writers who will no doubt be thrilled with their achievement of making the cut. They are up against two celebrated and iconic writers, former winners of The Women’s Prize, Maggie O’Farrell and Barbera Kingsolver. There may be some raised eyebrows around the inclusion of both on the shortlist, but there can be no doubt that it is utterly deserved.
O’Farrell has written a transportive and vivid work of historical fiction, bringing to life the Italian Renaissance. We, at @thebibliofilles, are devoted to fierce Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrera, the precocious sixteen-year-old wife of a sinister Duke, who faces misogyny and tragedy that will keep you at the edge of your seat (and may make you feel all the female rage). Kingsolver broke our hearts with Demon Copperhead, a reimagining of David Copperfield that Oprah calls “extraordinary”. Set in an impoverished, rural Appalachian town, Demon is born to an addict mother and absent father. This young boy yearns for love, and we watch helplessly as he becomes embroiled in the same cycle of dysfunction. Both books are epic in scale from writers at the height of their powers.
Laline Paul is nominated for the second time in this Prize, for her visceral and shocking book Pod, which will be unlike anything you have ever read before guaranteed. This one will divide the crowd, but honestly, it lives rent free in our minds weeks later. A uniquely creative book, the characters are dolphins (yes really), but this is not the Disney version. They are strikingly human in their emotions, violence, and social hierarchy, but Pod is also a profound reflection on the impact of climate change on the natural world.
The three debut novels are all exceptional, capturing recent turbulent moments that will educate as much as they captivate. Trespasses by Louise Kennedy focuses on The Troubles in Northern Ireland and has at its centre a tender love story, with themes of community, religion and politics waved cleverly through the powerful plot. Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks blends passages of pure joy with the reality of racism and gang warfare. This soulful story is lyrical, taking the reader from a London nightclub to a mystical town in Jamaica. The final title is Black Butterflies, which has been wracking up international praise for its insight into the siege of Sarajevo, inspired by true accounts. Priscilla Morris deftly creates a tense and claustrophobic setting for her layered and complex characters, exploring love, loss and what makes a home.
The shortlist is such a diverse mix that will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers. The winner will be announced at a glorious summer party in June, so there is plenty of time to read all six books and form your own opinion of which one should win. We do not envy the judging panel one bit. If you have already devoured the shortlist, have no fear, we have curated a list of similar books for you to dive into. Get ordering from the links.