LONDON 鈥� Novels that explore forgotten and neglected communities in Britain, the U.S. and the Caribbean were named finalists on Wednesday for the 30,000 pound ($42,000) Women鈥檚 Prize for fiction.
The six-book shortlist includes American author Brit Bennett鈥檚 tale of twins who take different paths, 鈥淭he Vanishing Half,鈥� U.S. writer Patricia Lockwood鈥檚 social media satire 鈥淣o One is Talking About This鈥� and 鈥淭ranscendent Kingdom,鈥� a story of African immigrants in Alabama by Ghanaian-American writer Yaa Gyasi.
Also in the running are Barbadian writer Cherie Jones鈥� story of gritty life on a beautiful island, 鈥淗ow the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House,鈥� and two books by British writers: Susanna Clarke鈥檚 literary fantasy 鈥淧iranesi鈥� and Claire Fuller鈥檚 rural family saga 鈥淯nsettled Ground.鈥�
Booker Prize-winning novelist Bernardine Evaristo, who is chairing the judging panel, said several of the novels depicted 鈥渃ommunities that aren鈥檛 really written about in fiction鈥� and tough subjects such as domestic violence, addiction and depression.
鈥淏ut they鈥檙e not miserable books,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all really beautifully crafted stories. 鈥� They鈥檙e not lightweight, but they are a thrilling read.鈥�
Founded in 1996, the prize is open to female English-language writers from around the world. Previous winners include Zadie Smith, Tayari Jones and Maggie O鈥橣arrell.
Only one of this year鈥檚 finalists, Fuller, has published more than two books. Bennett, Clarke and Gyasi are nominated for their second published novels, while Lockwood and Jones are debut novelists.
Evaristo said the five judges 鈥渨eren鈥檛 looking at whether they were debut novels. We weren鈥檛 even looking at the authors. It was the books, and whether the books spoke to us.鈥�
鈥淚 think it might speak to the fact that perhaps there aren鈥檛 as many older women writers who have had long careers getting published,鈥� said Evaristo, who won the Booker Prize in 2019 with her eighth novel, 鈥淕irl, Woman, Other.鈥�
鈥淭here always seem to be lots of debuts around, but sustaining a long career is something that鈥檚 perhaps harder to do.鈥�
The winner of the 2021 Women鈥檚 Prize will be announced July 7 at a ceremony in London.
Jill Lawless, The Associated Press
