16-strong Women’s Prize For Fiction longlist revealed
The winner of the prize will be revealed on June 3.
The 16 novels included on the Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist have been revealed.
The list features six debut novels as well as former winner Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House.
Previously shortlisted writers Anne Enright and Hilary Mantel are also included on the list, for Actress and The Mirror And The Light respectively.
Businesswoman Martha Fox, chair of the judges, said: “Ahead of the longlist meeting I was anxious that the negotiations between judges might be as arduous as Brexit, but it was an absolute delight to pick our final 16 books.
“Entries for the prize’s 25th year have been spectacular and we revelled in the variety, depth, humanity and joy of the writing – we hope everyone else will too.”
Also on the judging panel are writer Scarlett Curtis, Melanie Eusebe, who co-founded the Black British Business Awards and authors Paula Hawkins and Viv Groskop.
This year the awards, which are open to any woman who has written a novel in English, are celebrating their 25th anniversary.
The prize aims to celebrate and promote female literary talent “to the widest range of readers as possible”, according to the award organisers.
The shortlist for the awards will be announced on April 22 before the winner is revealed on June 3 at an awards ceremony in central London.
The winner of the award will be handed a £30,000 cheque.
The full list of nominees are:
Djinn Patrol On The Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
Fleishman Is In Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Dominicana by Angie Cruz
Actress by Anne Enright
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Nightingale Point by Luan Goldie
A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
The Mirror And The Light by Hilary Mantel
Girl by Edna O’ Brien
Hamnet by Maggie O’ Farrell
Weather by Jenny Offill
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Red At The Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
