Today, they announced the shortlist for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. The winner will be announced on June 5.
- Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson
- May We Be Forgiven, by A.M. Homes
- Flight Behavior, by Barbara Kingsolver
- Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette, by Maria Semple
- NW, by Zadie Smith
Incidentally, I think this should be fun to follow: Simon Savidge is doing a series for We Love This Book: “The Women’s Prize: A Man’s Perspective” (find the initial post here). He’ll be reading through the shortlist and posting from his male perspective.
Have read the Kingsolver and the Semple; wasn’t overly impressed with either one. . .I look forward to the announcement of the winner.
The ones I’m most interested in are the Atkinson and the Homes. Kingsolver and I parted ways several books ago, and I’m still skeptical of the Semple. Which leaves Mantel and Smith, neither of whom need much more publicity, but two authors I generally admire and plan to follow.
You’re skeptical of Semple? Strange that you keep encouraging me to read it.. I thought it was because you thought I’d like it, not because you knew you wouldn’t but still wanted an inside look at it.
Skeptical but intrigued. If you do the work . . . :-)