Yesterday was my 9th blog anniversary! I love that it coincides with International Women’s Day.
It’s traditionally also been the day of the Women’s Prize longlist announcement, but the past two years they’ve brought it forward to pre-empt news of the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction longlist. It’s hard not to see these prizes as being in competition, though the CSP is only for U.S. and Canadian residents; also considers short story collections, graphic novels, and work in translation; and is more deliberate about including trans and nonbinary authors.
Like last year, their lists are extremely different. In 2023 there was no crossover; this year only one novel appears on both (Brotherless Night). Although it’s easier for me to feel engaged with the WP, I’m drawn to reading much more from the CSP list.
Women’s Prize
Of my predictions, only 1 was correct, compared to last year’s 4. I got none of my personal wishes, as in 2023. I guess making a wish list is a kiss of death! Once again, we have a mix of new and established authors, with a full half of the list being debut work. Nine of the authors are BIPOC. I’ve read 2 of the nominees and would be agreeable to reading up to 6 more. My library always buys the entire longlist, so I’ll eventually get the chance to read them, but not soon enough to add to the conversation.
Read:
The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright (CORRECT PREDICTION): Enright’s astute eighth novel traces the family legacies of talent and trauma through the generations descended from a famous Irish poet. The novel switches between Nell’s funny, self-deprecating narration and third-person vignettes about her mother, Carmel. Cycles of abandonment and abuse characterize the McDaraghs. Enright convincingly pinpoints the narcissism and codependency behind their love-hate relationships. 
Western Lane by Chetna Maroo: Easy to warm to even if you’ve never played and know nothing about squash. A debut novella that is illuminating on what is expected of young Gujarati women in England; on sisterhood and a bereaved family’s dynamic; but especially on what it is like to feel sealed off from life by grief. This offbeat, delicate coming-of-age story eschews literary fireworks. In place of stylistic flair is the sense that each word and detail has been carefully placed. 
Will read:
Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad – requested from the library
8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster by Mirinae Lee – on my Kindle from NetGalley
Interested in reading:
In Defence of the Act by Effie Black – queer novella, suicide theme
And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott – Indigenous Canadian, postpartum depression theme
Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy – Irish author, new motherhood theme
The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord – Black sci-fi author
Maybe:
Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan – see below
Not interested in reading:
Hangman by Maya Binyam – meh
The Maiden by Kate Foster – not keen on historical mysteries, and this looks very commercial
Restless Dolly Maunder by Kate Grenville – will read more Grenville, but not this one any time soon
River East, River West by Aube Rey Lescure – have read mixed reviews
Nightbloom by Peace Adzo Medie – disliked her debut novel
Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan – enjoyed her first novel, but DNFed this
A Trace of Sun by Pam Williams – nah
See also the reactions posts from Eric and Laura.
Predictions:
I’d expect to see two or three of the Irish writers on the shortlist, plus probably Western Lane, Enter Ghost, and a couple of other wildcards (but not the SF novel). Enter Ghost, set in Palestine, would certainly be a timely winner…
What comes next:
Shortlist (6 titles) on 24 April and winner on 13 June.
Carol Shields Prize
After I badgered the administrators for six months about Q&A responses that never materialized, they kindly offered me digital review copies of any of the nominees that I’m not able to easily access in the UK. This is, in general, a more rigorous list of highbrow literary fiction, with some slight genre diversity thanks to Catton and Makkai (plus a mixture of historical and contemporary fiction, three story collections, and one book in translation); 10 of 15 authors are BIPOC. There are further details about all the nominees on the website.
Read:
I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai – When an invitation comes from her boarding school alma mater, Granby, to teach a two-week course on podcasting, Bodie indulges her obsession with the 1995 murder of her former roommate. Makkai has taken her cues from the true crime genre and constructed a convincing mesh of evidence and theories. She so carefully crafts her pen portraits, and so intimately involves us in Bodie’s psyche, that it’s impossible not to get invested. This is timely, daring, intelligent, enthralling storytelling. (Delighted to see this nominated as I hoped the WP would recognize it last year.)
Skimmed and didn’t care for:
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
Loot by Tania James
Will read:
Land of Milk and Honey by C. Pam Zhang – requested from the library
Know little or nothing about but will happily read if I get a chance:
Cocktail: Stories by Lisa Alward
Dances by Nicole Cuffy
Daughter by Claudia Dey
Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad
You Were Watching from the Sand: Short Stories by Juliana Lamy
The Future by Catherine Leroux, translated by Susan Ouriou – has just won Canada Reads
A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power
Chrysalis: Stories by Anuja Varghese
Less interested in reading:
Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan – Sri Lankan civil war setting
Coleman Hill by Kim Coleman Foote – Fictionalized family memoir with 9 POVs
A History of Burning by Janika Oza – Big Indian-Ugandan multigenerational story
Predictions:
Not the first clue. Come back to me after I’ve read a few more.
What comes next:
Shortlist (5 titles) on 9 April and winner on 13 May.
What have you read, or might you read, from the longlists?
Bookish Beck = Rebecca Foster. American transplant to England. Freelance proofreader and book reviewer.
Bookish Beck 
Firstly, happy blog birthday! Only 9 yrs. Feels longer – but in a good way you understand!
I’ve never warmed to the Women’s Prize, and haven’t yet read any on its list, although I have a copy of the Nolan, and would read the Kilroy. The other longlist looks interesting, but I wouldn’t have time to get into it. I’m concentrating on the Dylan Thomas Prize this season.
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I can understand that. Interesting that it’s the Irish entries that draw you. So many prizes, so little time! Most of what I try from the Dylan Thomas Prize lists doesn’t work out for me — it took me years and years to realize that — though there are two books on the longlist that I loved (Penance and Bright Fear) and I’m reviewing one of the other poetry nominees for the blog tour this week.
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My mother was Irish, from the North, so I definitely have an affinity. I must fit in a couple for Cathy’s Reading Ireland month too!
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I don’t think I knew that! I’m reading a few potential Reading Ireland selections: Trespasses, Rapture’s Road, and The Bee Sting. The question is whether I can finish any or all of them in time!
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I like the Carol Shields longlist a lot more than the WP longlist! Have read three, all of which I loved (Catton, Zhang, Makkai) and interested in quite a few (Cuffy, Gawad, Leroux, Power). I DNF the James a third of the way through, though.
Sadly what I really love about shadowing book prizes is the community and that doesn’t seem to have developed yet around the CS prize, so I don’t know if I’ll be putting much effort into it, though look forward to reading your reviews.
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I thought you might prefer the CSP list! (And I’m not surprised you DNFed Loot. I thought it very lacklustre historical fiction despite the promising setup.) It doesn’t have the same publicity juggernaut behind it, at least not so far. And yet it’s worth so much money. I don’t have a sense of whether American and Canadian readers and bloggers have gotten behind it. It’s certainly more difficult to follow from over here. That’s why I got in touch with the admins and tried to offer what help I could, starting with an interview about the Prize — it was disappointing that that didn’t work out. I’m sure they’d be willing to send you a few digital copies if I put you in touch with my contact?
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What was up with Loot, such a good premise but absolutely nothing about it came to life.
That would be great, thank you!
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As wooden as the automaton! I wish I’d remembered that I’d read a book by her before, and it was similarly unengaging.
Sure, I’ll send an e-mail introducing you.
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I’m starting to wonder whether the Carol Shields Prize is the one I should be following… the longlist seems a lot less random. I’d read the Catton and Makkai, and liked both of them (Catton probably 3.75 stars, Makkai 4, although I’m not a fan of star ratings). Quite interested by the Mona Susan Power one (A Council of Dolls)—it’ll all hang on how “magical realist” the execution of the premise ends up.
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I feel like the CSP is more devoted to out-and-out literary excellence (and diversity of representation), as opposed to the WP’s aims which seem to be highlighting issues and having ‘something for everyone’.
A Council of Dolls does look promising, perhaps reminiscent of Louise Erdrich. I was at least interested to see that the WP featured an Indigenous Canadian author (Alicia Elliott) — I was surprised that book didn’t cross over onto both lists.
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That’s a very pleasing coincidence! Only one of my Women’s Prize wishes came true (Western Lane). The unfulfilled one I’m most sore about is Carys Davies’ sublime Clear. I’ll be reading the Kilroy and probably the Nolan.
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At least one wish came true. I’m pleased for Chetna Maroo. I hope my library buys the Kilroy soon, I’ll definitely read it.
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Congratulations on your blog anniversary! I remembered when the Women’s Prize list came out that you had predicted The Wren, The Wren. I know very little about most of the nominees for both prizes, although I read Birnam Wood. I thought it was good but not as good as all the hype. Catton’s The Luminaries blew me away when it came out, but she hasn’t done anything to come up to it yet. I don’t know anything about Kate Foster, but why do you say she’s not an author you’d be interested in reading?
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Thanks, Kay! Birnam Wood was a divisive one. I know a lot of people who have loved it and then others like me who thought it was a little ridiculous.
It turns out Kate Foster is not who I thought she was; it was Kate Morton I had in mind. I will edit the above. This is a debut novel. It’s snobbish of me, but it looks to be in the same vein as Stacey Halls, Bridget Collins, all those sorts of authors: commercial, on the edge of crime or women’s fiction. I’ve not enjoyed what I’ve tried from that subgenre.
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Well, it’s good you took another look at it, although I’m not a big Stacy Halls fan, and I don’t generally read those kind of authors, either.. I actually like Kate Morton, although her books are very much the same as each other. She fits in a small group of writers that I use when I’m in the mood for effortless enjoyment.
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Happy blogging anniversary! I have read the Kilroy, which I liked, and the Maroo, which made little impact on me. I’m just finishing the Grenville, which as ever with her work I’m loving. So I have a lot of work still to do …
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Three read is good going, I’d say — better than me!
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Wow! I’ll dine out on this for years!
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Oh yes. I disliked Birnham Wood as well.
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Congratulations on 9 years of book blogging, and I hope you enjoy the next 9 just as much, if not more!
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Thank you!
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Happy blogiversary! 🎉
From both lists I’ve only read the Makkai, which I wasn’t in love with but didn’t hate. I’d like to read Council of Dolls. And maybe Birnam Wood. The others don’t jump out at me but maybe? I’m not much for following prizes unless I happen to have read a favorite that gets nominated (like when Marlon James won the Booker some years back.)
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Thanks 🙂 Not following literary prizes will make your life easier!
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Happy Blogversary Rebecca! Here’s to many more x
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Thanks, Cathy!
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Congrats with 9 years of blogging! My top picks to read are Enter Ghost and Brotherless Night. 8 Lives also sounded appealing until I realised, it is interconnected short stories, which rarely works for me.
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Thank you! I’m looking forward to Enter Ghost. Ah, that’s too bad, linked short stories are a particular favourite of mine.
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Had you originally planned to coincide with IW’sDay? (apologies if I should remember this) Happy celebrations!
The stories in Cocktail, I’m fairly sure you would enjoy a great deal. Although I would say they’d be best enjoyed with a couple of days between (which I kinda think is always true, yes, you know, but even more so in this instance).
Of the six Canadians on the CSP list, I wouldn’t say that any of them is surprising but I also wouldn’t say they’re predictable choices in the context of CanLit. I’ve read four (and none from this year’s Women’s Prize list, which I’d guessed would be true, given my 2023 reading selections).
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No, I’m a late/bad feminist and wouldn’t have known about IWD when I started out blogging.
Which have you already read besides Alward and Leroux? There were a lot of new names for me here!
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Hahaha Well that’s a nice coincidence then. 🙂
Catton and Oza. Mr BIP bought me the Makkai so it’s on my list for 2024 and on hand…it might well be my next from the CSP list. Between Two Moons and Brotherless Night are the ones that most intrigue me, but neither is readily available to me via the library where I’m at just now, so I’ll have to figure something out.
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I’m more excited about the Carol Shields list but that may be because I’ve already read a few. I just finished The Future and enjoyed it – it’s recently one a national competition here called Canada Reads. I liked Daughter as well as Land of Milk and Honey but struggled with And Then She Fell and never actually finished it.
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I didn’t realize you were Canadian. It is nice to have already read a few from a list!
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That makes me worry I haven’t been polite enough in my comments!
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[…] Read Rebecca’s thoughts on the Carol Shields longlist here. […]
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Happy belated blogiversary! 🥳 I don’t follow any book prizes closely so I find it interesting to read other folks’ predictions and thoughts on shortlists. I have actually read one of the titles here – AND THEN SHE FELL. I found it a bit slow going at times but I thought it really picked up steam towards the end and came to a satisfying conclusion.
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I’m impressed that lots of people seem to have read that one. I’m hoping my library system will buy it so I can try it out for myself. Keeping up with literary prizes is a lot, so I don’t blame you for letting it pass you by!
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