The Women’s Prize for Fiction today (Monday 23 April) announced their 2018 shortlist. The Prize celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in writing by women in English from throughout the world.
This year’s shortlist features one previously shortlisted author and three debut novels.
2018 shortlist
- The Idiot by Elif Batuman (Jonathan Cape)
- The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar (Harvill Secker)
- Sight by Jessie Greengrass (John Murray)
- When I Hit You: Or, A Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife by Meena Kandasamy (Atlantic Books)
- Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie (Bloomsbury Circus)
- Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (Bloomsbury Circus)
The judges for the 2018 Women’s Prize for Fiction are:
Sarah Sands, (Chair), Editor of BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, Anita Anand, Radio and Television Journalist, Katy Brand, Writer, Comedian and Actor, Catherine Mayer, Journalist, Author and Co-founder of the Women’s Equality Party and Imogen Stubbs, Actor.
Sarah Sands, Chair of Judges, commented:
“The themes of the shortlist have both contemporary and lasting resonance encompassing the birth of the internet, race, sexual violence, grief, oh and mermaids. Some of the authors are young, half by Brits and all are blazingly good and brave writers.”
About the Prize
Set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote international fiction by women throughout the world to the widest range of readers possible, the Women’s Prize for Fiction is awarded for the best full-length novel of the year written by a woman. Any woman writing in English – whatever her nationality, country of residence, age or subject matter – is eligible.
The winner will be announced on Wednesday 6 June at an awards ceremony in central London.
Get involved
What do you think of the 2018 shortlisted titles? Which have you read and are there any surprises? Add your comments below, or click any title above to leave a review.
Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #WomensPrize. Keep up with all the latest news on the Women’s Prize for Fiction website.
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