Reaction: Women’s Prize for Fiction

It’s better late than never, eh? I have been meaning to write a reaction/discussion post on the Women’s Prize longlist since it was released last week, but I cannot even express to you how terrible the last two weeks have been, so I just haven’t got round to it. But I’m here now!

What did you all think of the list? Any books you’re surprise to see on here? Or feel like should’ve been, but aren’t?

From my point of view, there are lots of ones I expected to/hoped would be on the list, but still a few surprises too!

Books I’ve read

I’ve already read five books on this year’s list, which is a record for me! Since starting this blog and my bookstagram, though, I have definitely been more on top of the new releases than ever before, so that probably accounts it.

• Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers: I read and absolutely adored this book last year! It was one of my two favourite books of the year (tied with Hamnet). For some reason, I hadn’t even twigged that it was eligible for the Women’s Prize, so I was very pleasantly surprised and excited it made the list. Check out my review for more of my thoughts on this book. I would love for this to be shortlisted!
• The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: I read this book before starting this blog so I don’t have a review to link you to, but this was another five star read for me, and made my list of favourite books of the year. This has such an interesting premise and there’s so much to unpack/discuss, and on top of that, Brit Bennett’s writing is beautiful. I have a suspicion this will be shortlisted, and rightfully so!
• Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi: I finished this book a couple of weeks ago – you can see my review here. I thought this book was phenomenal, and I could well see it being my favourite book of the year. I’m so happy it made the list and, again, I think it really should be shortlisted.
• Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan: I read this book last year (again, pre-bookstagram) and I’d read a lot of hype going into it, and for me it fell a little flat. I’d still rate it four stars, I think, but I didn’t love it the way others do. However, her writing is superb and she definitely deserves a place on this list.
• Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller: I reviewed an ARC of this earlier in the year and only gave it two stars, finding it overwhelming bleak and a bit boring, to be honest. Though I didn’t enjoy it, I gave it two stars over one as I felt like there would be something in there for others, if not me – and it turned out I was right, as it must be well-loved by others to make the list! Fuller undoubtedly is an accomplished writer, but this book just wasn’t for me.

Books I want to read soon

As well as having read five of these books, I had another three of these on my shelf. I’d bought these recently, so I obviously already wanted to read these soon, but they have been bumped up my reading list now they made the longist!

• Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters: This is a novel about three women whose lives collide after an unexpected pregnancy. I’m so glad that Torrey Peters is the first transwoman to make the list, though we mustn’t think that the prize is perfect because of this – Akwaeke Emezi isn’t submitting their novels to the prize.
• Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: My boyfriend loves her other novel, so I got him this as a present when it was first released. I’ve not read it yet, but I definitely want to! I’ve heard that it’s better to basically not knowing anything going into this book, so that’s the way I’m going to keep it!
• Luster by Raven Leilani: I actually picked this up yesterday – and so far I’m enjoying it, but I’m not loving it. However, I’m excited to see where it goes from here! The writing is amazing, I just don’t feel too connected to the main character!

Out of the remaining novels, I think my next purchases will probably be How The One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones, as this was already on my tbr, and then Consent by Annabel Lyon – a book I wasn’t previously aware of but which I think sounds great. The rest are probably lower down my list and ones that I’m less interested in – but if you’ve read any of them, I’d be really interested to hear what you think about them!