KIRKUS ANNOUNCES THE FINALISTS FOR THE 2023 KIRKUS

New York (August 30, 2023) – Kirkus Reviews, founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus and now the nation’s leading prepublication journal of book reviews, announces the 18 finalists for the 2023 Kirkus Prize in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, and Young Readers’ Literature. 

Winners in the three categories will receive $50,000 each, making the Kirkus Prize, now in its 10th year, one of the richest annual literary awards in the world. Writers become eligible by receiving a rare, starred review from Kirkus Reviews. An esteemed panel of jurors, along with Kirkus’ editors, select the Kirkus Prize finalists and winners.

Kirkus Reviews editor-in-chief Tom Beer says, “This year marks the 10th annual Kirkus Prize, and we’re proud to unveil an especially robust slate of finalists to be celebrated, for the first time in the prize’s history, at a ceremony in New York. From gorgeously written and moving fiction, to deeply researched and clear-eyed nonfiction, to young readers’ literature that entertains and educates, the finalists represent the very best books that Kirkus has seen this year.”

This year’s finalists were chosen from 608 young readers’ literature titles, 435 fiction titles, and 435 nonfiction titles. On average, Kirkus’ editors award the Kirkus star to 10% of the approximately 10,000 titles they assign for review each year. One of the most coveted designations in the book industry, the Kirkus star marks books of exceptional merit.

The finalists for the 2023 Kirkus Prize are listed below, followed by a quote from their Starred Kirkus Review:

 FICTION:

“Short stories that in their depth of feeling, perception, and sense of place affirm their author’s bright promise.…After just two collections, Brinkley may already be a grand master of the short story.”

“A story that’s suspended on a tightrope just above nihilism, and readers will hold their breath until the last page to see whether Catton will fall. This blistering look at the horrors of late capitalism manages to also be a wildly fun read.”

“Seven modern fairy tales by a master of the short form.…Enchanting, mesmerizing, brilliant work.”

“McBride follows up his hit novel Deacon King Kong with another boisterous hymn to community, mercy, and karmic justice.…If it’s possible for America to have a poet laureate, why can’t James McBride be its storyteller-in-chief?”

“An Irish family’s decline is rendered in painful, affecting detail.…A grim and demanding and irresistible anatomy of misfortune.”

“Every time you think this novel is taking you places you’ve been before, Ward startles you with an image, a metaphor, a rhetorical surge that [is] worth your attention. And admiration.”

The jurors for the 2023 Kirkus Prize in Fiction are:

Rosa Hernandez, marketing manager and bookseller for Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, Washington; Michael Schaub, book critic, NPR Books contributor, and Kirkus contributing writer; and Kirkus fiction editor Laurie Muchnick. 

NONFICTION:

“The former China correspondent for the Guardian explores the ‘cumulative forgetting’ of the devastations of the Cultural Revolution.…A heartbreaking, revelatory evocation of ‘the decade that cleaved modern China in two.’ ” 

“An intricate, meticulously researched biography of the revered and controversial dance icon.…The definitive account of a remarkable and flawed artist.”

“A recovering alcoholic reflects on his experiences with suicidal ideation.…Disquieting, deeply felt, eye-opening, and revelatory.”

 

“A tale of reckoning and revelation focused on the author’s fraught relationship with her father.…More than catharsis; this is memoir as liberation.”

“A pensive examination of the many ways there are to be Latinx in America.…A powerful look at what it means to be a member of a community that, though large, remains marginalized.”

“A gripping adventure with Ellen Craft (1826-1891) and William Craft (1824-1900), who risked their lives to escape slavery in Georgia in 1848.…A captivating tale that ably captures the determination and courage of a remarkable couple.”

The jurors for the 2023 Kirkus Prize in Nonfiction are:

Mark Athitakis, journalist, book critic, and award-winning author of The New Midwest; Anjali Enjeti, journalist, book critic, and author of Southbound and The Parted Earth; and Kirkus nonfiction editor Eric Liebetrau.

YOUNG READERS’ LITERATURE:

Picture Books

“Black family pride and joy abound—this is a family that allows its little ones the space to make forays into independence while supporting them every step of the way. Warmly buoyant.”

Middle Grade

“Written in the first person with a compelling dry wit, this story addresses the tough topics of bullying and bipolar disorder with poise and empathy.…Outstanding.”

“One can only hope that children will tell and retell this reinterpretation many times to themselves throughout the years. Employing his customary pitch-perfect tonal gymnastics, only Klassen could inspire readers to want craniums as pals.”
 

Young Adult

“Each chapter provides information typically missing from standard retellings of the nation’s past.…Beautifully illustrated, riveting, enraging, and empowering: a must-read.”

“Debut author Finch tackles sexual assault, toxic masculinity, and grief with precision and courage.…A devastating, essential journey.”

The jurors for the 2023 Kirkus Prize in Young Readers’ Literature are:

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, a two-time Newbery Honor recipient, New York Times–bestselling author, Kirkus critic, and the founder of the nonprofit Appalachian Literacy Initiative; Ayn Reyes Frazee, a high school librarian with Portland (Oregon) Public Schools, Kirkus critic, and an advocate for inclusive library spaces; and Kirkus young readers’ editors Mahnaz Dar and Laura Simeon.

The three 2023 Kirkus Prize winners will be announced at an in-person ceremony at the TriBeca Rooftop on Wednesday, October 11, 2023. The announcement will be livestreamed on Kirkus’ YouTube channel at 7pm Eastern. “This year will be the biggest celebration of the Kirkus Prize yet. 2023 marks 90 years of Kirkus Reviews and a decade of honoring the most exceptional works of literature published in America. When the final prize is awarded this year, we will have given away $1.5 million to authors and illustrators, and we’re thrilled to be celebrating this momentous occasion with the publishing community in New York,” says Meg LaBorde Kuehn, publisher of Kirkus Reviews.

 

 

About Kirkus Reviews

For 90 years, Kirkus has been the most trusted voice in book discovery. Kirkus Reviews covers more than 8,000 books published by traditional houses and more than 4,000 self-published books every year. The magazine is published on the 1st and 15th of every month, and because of the scope of its coverage, its authoritative voice, and the timeliness of its reviews, Kirkus Reviews is revered by many as the first indicator of a book’s potential.

Herb Simon and Marc Winkelman are Co-Chairmen of Kirkus Media, and Meg LaBorde Kuehn is the Chief Executive Officer and Publisher of Kirkus Reviews. The Chief Marketing Officer is Sarah Kalina. The Editor-in-Chief of Kirkus Reviews is Tom Beer. The President of Indie is Chaya Schechner. Eric Liebetrau is the Managing Editor and Nonfiction Editor, Laurie Muchnick is the Fiction Editor, and Laura Simeon and Mahnaz Dar are the Young Readers’ Editors.

Kirkus Prize Publicity Contact: Kimberly Burns / kb@broadsidepr.com / 917.405.8708

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