The Women’s Prize for Fiction announced its shortlist, with six novels in the running for the annual U.K. literary award.
Barbara Kingsolver was named a finalist for Demon Copperhead, her Charles Dickens–inspired novel that was a selection for Oprah Winfrey’s book club last October. This is the fourth time Kingsolver has appeared on the Women’s Prize shortlist; she was named a finalist for The Poisonwood Bible and Flight Behavior, and she won for The Lacuna.
Maggie O’Farrell made the shortlist for The Marriage Portrait, one of Reese Witherspoon’s book club picks. O’Farrell won the Women’s Prize in 2020 for Hamnet.
Jacqueline Crooks was named a finalist for Fire Rush, which was published last week in the U.S., while Priscilla Morris made the shortlist for Black Butterflies. Louise Kennedy’s Trespasses and Laline Paull’s Pod also were named finalists.
Louise Minchin, the chair of judges for the award, said in a statement, “This is an exquisite set of ambitious, diverse, thoughtful, hard-hitting and emotionally engaging novels. A glittering showcase of the power of women’s writing.”
The Women’s Prize was first awarded in 1996. Previous winners have included Zadie Smith for On Beauty, A.M. Homes for May We Be Forgiven, and Ruth Ozeki for The Book of Form and Emptiness.
Michael Schaub, a journalist and regular contributor to NPR, lives near Austin, Texas.
