As we shape up to find out which of the Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted books will be crowned as this year’s winner, our six reading groups selected to shadow the Women’s Prize for Fiction have been reading, discussing and reviewing those titles. Keep reading to find out what they thought.
The 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction will be awarded on Wednesday 14 June 2023 at the Women’s Prize Trust’s Summer Party in central London. The winner will receive an anonymously endowed cheque for £30,000 and a limited-edition bronze figurine known as a ‘Bessie’, created and donated by the artist Grizel Niven. More information can be found on the Women’s Prize for Fiction website here.
The Shortlist
- Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks
- Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
- Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
- Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris
- The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
- Pod by Laline Paull
95% Blethers
95% Blethers was formed almost 13 years ago and describe themselves as “a group of book loving friends”. They currently have four English teachers and three radiographers which makes for a fascinating mix of arts and science brains! They were selected to read Trespasses by Louise Kennedy.
The majority of the group really enjoyed the book and their discussions resulted in a broad range of opinions. They felt that the book taught them about The Troubles and the affect that it had on individuals and their families. In their discussion, they covered themes around politics, religion, history and sociology noting that it stirred up some “interesting conversations”. They felt that the book created some really interesting discussion points and that they focussed on morality and prejudice as a group.
LAMDARB
LAMDARB have just celebrated their 10 year anniversary as a book club! They met when training as actors at drama school and comprise of three women and three men in their thirties. They take it in turns to host themed dinners when they meet to discuss their books. Five of the group are based in the UK and one in the US. The group read Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks.
The group said: “We loved exploring the world of 80s dub reggae and discussing it together. Most of us weren’t familiar with it as a genre before reading the novel. We all spoke about how important we feel it is to continue to read stories that showcase voices we may not have heard before and we’re very happy to have had the opportunity to do that.”
The group said, “we tend to have passionate conversations and a healthy amount of disagreement which rarely leads to unanimous thumbs up. In our ten years only 10 out of the 62 books we’ve read have received it and we’re delighted to make that 11 with Fire Rush. It received a thumbs up from all of us, we would all gladly recommend it. It was fascinating to discuss the book and hear the reasons why each member felt it was definitely a book that warranted a recommendation.”
One reader said that he found the specificity of the narrator’s voice, and the ambition of a narrative featuring a large, memorable cast of characters and multiple, vividly drawn locations inspiring. The group would unanimously recommend the book.
Manchester Book Society
The Manchester Book Society was founded in June 2022 by three friends. They are an in-person book club that meets once a month at a venue called Bold, to discuss that month’s nominated read. They read a variety of genres, with a lot of their monthly reads highlighting female, POC and LGBTQ+ authors. Bonding over their love of literature, they host social events every month including independent bookshop trips, library tours, silent book clubs and book swap events. They have been reading Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris
The group thoroughly enjoyed the book, some even going as far to consider it their new favourite! Outside of their usual comfort zone, they found themselves pleasantly surprised at how much they got from their selected novel. Several members noted how impressive it was as a debut and that they will be following the author to make sure they can read their next book.
One reader noted: “In Black Butterflies, Priscilla Morris writes a harrowing account of the Siege of Sarajevo, highlighting the horrific consequences of war on the individual. Despite the book’s exploration of the character’s various traumatic experiences, it emphasises the value and importance of community and art in order to cope and survive. Overall, the author created both and educational and haunting story which will stay with me for a long time.”
Another said, “I was captivated by Morris’ book and the depiction of civilian life in the Siege of Sarajevo. Having not known much about those events prior to reading, I found it truly shocking and moving. The writing was beautiful, and I loved how Morris represented the theme of community. One of the most impactful books I’ve read so far.”
NHSRF – Royal London Hospital
Whilst the NHS Retirement Fellowship runs a national book club, this group of people, connected through their work for the NHS, wanted to create a group with a more personal touch. Just over a year ago they started meeting once a month to choose and discuss books. Now they have six members and were chosen to read The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell.
The group’s discussion focussed on the feminist voice and how sociocultural factors can determine your life. The group found the commoditisation of women in the novel and the loss of childhood a sad, but honest, theme yet, they agreed that the character of Lucrezia was strong and resourceful and someone that the entire group wanted to succeed, even if they knew it was unlikely to end in her favour.
One member said, “We all felt the book was beautifully written with very detailed descriptive prose and imagery, denoting a keen observation of the human condition. Overall there was a sadness in the novel because Lucrezia was brought into this world to be sold on.”
Another wrote, “The characters were all very well structured and totally believable so we were drawn into their lives. While reading I wish it didn’t have to end because we knew Lucrezia’s fate. It showed how a child, who from the beginning seemed unwanted and unloved, was catapulted into adulthood before she was ready. You cannot help but weep for the loss of her childhood.”
The Rugby Books
The Rugby books formed in November 2018 and was born from people who met through a Woolwich based tag rugby team. Since then, the book club has grown with both new and childhood friends joining over the years. Now with nine members, they still manage to meet every 6 weeks. They were selected to read Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
As a group they found Barbara Kingsolver’s writing to be the highlight of their experience, finding her text to be “poetic, beautiful, littered with astute observations about how society functions, and genuinely funny amongst despair.” As a group they noted how despite their enjoyment of the book and its style, it was a long and challenging read at 560 pages filled with extremely sad storylines.
A retelling of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield set in modern day America at the height of the opioid crisis, the group felt that “Demon Copperhead is a powerful book following the main character (Demon’s) coming of age from being born and then growing up into early adolescence. It follows the devastating situations he has to navigate, trying to forge his own path and learn his own mind, while battling the challenging social, economic and environmental hand he has been dealt since birth.”
On average, the group gave this title 4 stars out of 5 and agreed that “it was a great book that powerfully depicted Demon’s story and struggles through nicely crafted, poetic writing.”
Chapter Mental Health
Chapter Mental Health are a new reading group. They all work or volunteer together for Chapter, a local mental health charity supporting people to live well with their mental health. Understanding the importance of reading and connecting with others on improving our mental health they created this group to live by their principles and strengthen their bonds and relationships.
The group read Pod by Laline Paull. As a group they had lots of discussions and mixed feelings about the book. Some of the members absolutely loved the book but others found that it was a difficult read. Regardless the whole group were glad that they’d been selected to read this title. They felt that there was intrinsic links between the themes of marine life, ecological issues and mental health, facilitating a deep discussion of the book in their meetings.
Get Involved
Are you in a reading group? Check out the Women’s Prize for Fiction reading guides for the shortlisted books.
If you work in a library or workplace and would like to promote the prize, you can download a free digital pack from our shop.
What do you think of the 2023 shortlisted titles? Which have you read and what will be added to your TBR pile? Add your comments below, or click any title above to leave a review.
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Keep up with all the latest news on the Women’s Prize website.
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