Elizabeth Strout and Miranda July among finalists for $56K Women's Prize for Fiction
The U.K. prize annually celebrates the best novel written in English by a woman
American authors Elizabeth Strout and Miranda July are among the finalists for the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction, alongside four debut novelists exploring the search for freedom in different countries and cultures.
Since 1996, the prize annually celebrates the best novel written in English by a woman. Now in its 30th year, the prize seeks to highlight women writers and create a platform wherein they may be recognized in equal measure to their male peers.
Pulitzer Prize winner Strout's Maine-set mystery novel Tell Me Everything and writer-filmmaker July's All Fours, in which a "semi-famous artist" seeks a new life, are shortlisted for the £30,000 prize (approx. $55,744 Cdn) prize.
The contenders also include Dutch writer Yael van der Wouden's postwar story The Safekeep and German-born poet Aria Aber's novel Good Girl, about a teenager exploring her dual German-Afghan heritage.
Also on the list are Iran-born writer Sanam Mahloudji's intergenerational family saga The Persians and Fundamentally by Britain's Nussaibah Younis, about an academic trying to rehabilitate women caught up with the Islamic State group.
Author Kit de Waal, who is chairing the panel of judges, said that the six books were "classics of the future" that explored "the importance of human connection."
"What is surprising and refreshing is to see so much humour, nuance and lightness employed by these novelists to shed light on challenging concepts," she said.
On the jury, de Waal is joined by novelist Diana Evans, author Bryony Gordon, magazine editor Deborah Joseph and musician Amelia Warner.
The winner will be announced on June 12. In addition to the prize money, this winner will also receive the "Bessie," a bronze statue made by the late British sculptor, Grizel Niven.
Last year's winner was V.V. Ganeshananthan for her novel Brotherless Night.
Canadians who have won the award include Toronto's Anne Michaels for her 1996 novel Fugitive Pieces and Winnipeg's Carol Shields for her 1997 novel Larry's Party.
Other past winners include Maggie O'Farrell, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Zadie Smith.
With files from CBC Books
