THE WOMEN’S Prize Trust, the UK charity which creates equitable opportunities for women in the world of books, announced the longlist for the 2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction this week.
Now in its 29th year and sponsored by Audible and Baileys, the Prize shines a spotlight on outstanding, ambitious, original fiction written in English by women from anywhere in the world.
The 2024 longlist features eight debut novelists (Maya Binyam, Effie Black, Alicia Elliott, Kate Foster, Mirinae Lee, Chetna Maroo, Aube Rey Lescure and Pam Williams), four authors who have previously published one novel (V.V. Ganeshananthan, Isabella Hammad, Peace Adzo Medie, and Megan Nolan), alongside four writers who have multiple books to their name (Anne Enright, Kate Grenville, Claire Kilroy and Karen Lord).
Kate Grenville, who won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2001 (The Idea of Perfection), sits alongside Anne Enright, the first Laureate for Irish Fiction, who was longlisted in 2008 (The Gathering) and 2020 (Actress) and shortlisted in 2012 (The Forgotten Waltz) and 2016 (The Green Road). V.V. Ganeshananthan was also longlisted in 2009 for her first novel (Love Marriage).
Monica Ali, Chair of Judges said: ‘With the strength and vitality of contemporary women’s fiction very much in evidence, reading the entries for this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction has been a joyful experience.
“Of course this made it all the more difficult to select the longlist, but after much lively discussion amongst the judges we are delighted with the 16 titles selected.
“Each one of these books is brilliant, original and utterly unputdownable. Collectively, they offer a wide array of compelling narratives from around the world, written with verve, with passion and compassion.
“They are books that will engage readers’ hearts and minds, they are filled with indelible characters, and they do what stories can do so powerfully: unsettle and disturb as well as surprise and delight.”
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