Beyond Okay

Last year, David Szalay won the Booker Prize for his novel Flesh (2025).  I read the synopsis and wasn't sure whether I would enjoy this book, but I bought a copy anyway and it has been on my shelf for a long time. With the Sydney Writers' Festival a month away, and Szalay one of the international authors I will be seeing, I thought I should give it a go. I am so glad I did as Flesh is a remarkable novel, unlike anything I have read before.

Flesh begins in Hungary with fifteen-year-old Istvan living with his mother in an apartment complex. They recently moved to this town and Istvan has few friends. A shy boy, he is quite isolated and says little. His mother volunteers him to assist a neighbour with her shopping, accompanying her to the store and carrying her groceries up the stairs to the apartment. The woman, who is about the same age as his mother, feeds Istvan after their expeditions and becomes his only companion. Slowly, she begins grooming him for a clandestine affair, and Istvan is soon caught up in this relationship which is destined to end badly. 

Istvan's first job is in the army, stationed in Iraq, where he witnessed tragedy on a daily basis. Following that he moves to London and gets a job in security, eventually employed as a driver by a wealthy family. Here he is exposed to the lives of the rich, but remains on its periphery until he forms a relationship with a woman which allows him to join the inner circle.  

István is a fascinating character, and I was intrigued that Szalay did not describe his appearance, leaving the reader to imagine what he looks like. Istvan doesn't give much away, speaking in short sentences (he mostly says 'okay'), and he appears almost detached, as if life happens to him and he is a passive participant. We know little of his inner life. It is the women around Istvan who compel the action - his mother, the neighbour, Helen - challenging Istvan to express himself more fully. When tragedy strikes, we can see the impact of trauma and grief on Istvan, even if he cannot see it himself. 

Szalay is sparse in his writing, requiring readers to fill in the blanks. There is a lot of dialogue, but that too is scant as Istvan speaks in staccato sentences. I admired this minimalism and restraint, it was incredibly effective. I found myself sucked into this story and was genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed Flesh.  I read the book along with the audiobook wonderfully performed by actor David Weyman which greatly enhanced my reading experience. 

Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist 2026

The Shortlist for the 2026 Women's Prize for Fiction has been announced. From a longlist of sixteen, the judges have selected six titles as a shortlist. 

The 2026 shortlist is as follows:

• Susan Choi - Flashlight
• Addie E Citchens - Dominion
• Virginia Evans - The Correspondent
• Marcia Hutchinson - The Mercy Step
• Rozie Kelly - Kingfisher
• Lily King - Heart the Lover

 
The chair of the judges, former Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard said of this shortlist:

"We are delighted to present a shortlist that doesn’t shy away from examining life’s challenges, but also brings many moments of joy. As judges, we are first and foremost readers, and these novels intrigued and profoundly moved us. The plot lines kept us turning pages to find out what happens next, the characters found a place in our hearts and the stories stayed with us long after the last sentence. The incredible strength of the longlist challenged and delighted us, as we whittled down 16 books to this exceptional shortlist. We are proud to support the Women’s Prize Trust’s mission of championing women’s creativity, established and new. With over half of the shortlist represented by debut novelists and independent publishers, we are spotlighting talented emerging writers as well as showcasing the best of known and much loved authors."

My thoughts on the Shortlist

When I wrote my previous post on the longlist, I guessed that the following books would be shortlisted.

Flashlight, Audition, The Correspondent, and A Guardian and a Thief, to be among those listed.  Well, I got two of them right! I am really happy that Heart the Lover and The Correspondent made the list, but a bit disappointed that Charlotte McConaghy's Wild Dark Shore didn't make the cut.

Next month I will be seeing Susan Choi and Lily King at the Sydney Writers' Festival. 

The winner will be revealed on 11 June 2026. Happy reading!

Want more Shortlist fun? Here are the judges announcing the shortlist.

Carol Shields Prize for Fiction Shortlist 2026

The 2026 shortlist for the Carol Shields Prize for excellence in fiction by women and non-binary writers in Canada and the United States.'  The longlist of fifteen titles, has been reduced to five:

• 
  Hellions by Julia Elliott 
• The White Hot by Quiara Alegría Hudes 
• Cannon by Lee Lai 
• A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar
• Lion by Sonya Walger

I reckon that Megha Mujumdar has a good chance of taking this prize. All will be revealed when the winner is announced on 2 June 2026 at a ceremony in Toronto. The winner received $150,000 USD while the four shortlisted finalist receive $12,500 each. If the winner is translated, the author receives $100,000 USD and the translator $50,000. 

Lessons in Leadership

When Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister of New Zealand in 2017 she became the youngest female head of government. She was only 37 years old and pregnant, giving birth to her daughter Neve during her first year of office. 

As a political science nerd, I watched Ardern's career with interest. I was inspired by her approach to governing, which was a sharp contrast to what we had across the ditch in Australia under the Coalition. She always seemed down-to-earth, likeable, empathetic and authentic. These qualities were put to the test during her five years in office when she had to deal with an horrific terrorist attack at a Christchurch mosque, a devastating volcanic eruption, and the pandemic. Along the way her government brought in landmark reforms like banning semiautomatic weapons, programs to reduce child poverty, net zero climate targets, decriminalising abortion, establishing a Te Ao Maori public holiday, improving housing and launching a 'wellbeing budget' to measure the nation's success beyond GDP.

In her memoir, A Different Kind of Power (2025), Ardern writes about her life in office and the difference she sought to make. Unlike most political memoirs which either gloss over the negatives, overstate the positives or settle political scores, Ardern has written a different kind of memoir.

Ardern goes back to her childhood, where she and her sister grew up in a rural community. Her father was a police officer and her mother was a devout Mormon. She talks about growing up in the church and her decision to leave it in adulthood. We learn about her first job in a fish-and-chip shop, her days as a young debater, and her interest in politics. She hones her skills working in government before standing for office. When she joins Parliament, she holds true to her values and remains determined to deliver for her constituents. She also still shops at Kmart.

When she becomes Prime Minister, and then as a working mum, Ardern often feels like she is failing. Her job is demanding and unpredictable. She has to travel a lot, juggle complex policy and meet a wide range of expectations. She longs to be present with her young daughter, but often the weight of her office causes her mind to drift. Fortunately, her partner Clark and her extended family are supportive and step up to help. 

The chapters on COVID were difficult to read, causing flashbacks to the challenges faced by leaders during that period of uncertainty and fear. When Ardern eventually decides it is time to walk away,  it is completely understandable. Despite her desire to do something different with her life, she worries that her daughter will see this as quitting.  

Ardern makes the case for a different kind of leadership. This is an uplifting memoir about someone who thought she was too soft for politics. She is a case study in turning vulnerabilities into strengths. It is refreshing to read a memoir by a politician not interested in running a commentary on those she disagreed with. The book is well-written and utterly fascinating. 

I read the book alongside listening to Ardern's audiobook narration. I highly recommend the audiobook, so you can hear her tell her own story.  I look forward to seeing Ardern speak about her memoir at the Sydney Town Hall as part of the Sydney Writers' Festival next month. 

A Holiday to Remember

The April selection for the Read Christie 2026 Challenge, 'Beloved in your Collection', is a novel I had never heard of - A Caribbean Mystery (1964), the ninth novel featuring elderly amateur sleuth Miss Marple.

 

Jane Marple has taken a holiday. At the urging of her nephew, the elderly detective has left England for the West Indies. At the Golden Palm Hotel, on the island of St Honore, she meets an array of interesting characters: married hotel owners; a retired Major who talks too much; an American and his glamorous second wife; a couple from the UK; a South American woman travelling solo; a Canon and his sister; a disabled elderly man and his caregivers; and, a local doctor. Soon after she arrives, Major Palgrave meets his demise, seen by most as a death from natural causes. But Miss Marple has a niggle about his death, something seems off. She replays the few conversations she had with him and decides to investigate. She plonks herself down with her knitting and observes how other hotel patrons interact and starts drawing together various threads. Before long there is another death, and Marple has to enlist help to work through her theories and prevent a third murder.

I approached A Caribbean Mystery without any preconceptions. It is a light tale, lacking much intrigue, but with plenty of Christie tropes to keep readers engaged. But I found myself less interested in the mystery element, and more invested in nutting out Christie's secret of success.

Christie has a way of describing characters that make you immediately know who they are. For example, on Major Palgrave she writes: 'He had been rather a garrulous elderly man of the club-bore type, always telling you personal reminiscences that you had no particular desire to hear' (ch5).  She injects a lot of humour in this novel and I routinely found myself laughing aloud. One of my favourite lines was 'The fruit on the island, thought Miss Marple, was rather disappointing. It seemed always to be pawpaw.' (ch3).

This is my second Miss Marple mystery, having recently read The Body in the Library, and I have really warmed to the delightful Miss Marple. As a largely invisible old woman she is able to gain access to people in a disarming manner. She is underestimated, as Mr Rafiel found out when he exclaimed 'I must say, though, that nobody would think you had any brains in your head to hear your unusual line of talk. actually, you've got a logical mind. Very few women have' (ch16).  She is definitely not 'the gentle fluffy old lady' (ch17) she is mistaken for. 

I have really been enjoying participating in the Christie Challenge this year. Her novels are like comfort food, a warm blanket and a cup of tea. Perhaps that is the secret to her success. I look forward to continuing to explore extensive bibliography.

My reviews of other Christie novels are available on this blog: 

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)

Murder on the Links (1923)

Murder on the Orient Express (1934)

The Body in the Library (1942)

Mrs McGinty's Dead (1952)

The Unforgettable Mrs Roy

Indian educator and women's rights activist Mary Roy was an indomitable powerhouse who successfully fought for a change in inheritance law which saw female Syrian Christians entitled to an equal share of familial property. She fought her brother, G Isaac, all the way to the Supreme Court of India, in the landmark case Mary Roy v State of Kerala and Others. 

Mrs Roy's daughter, Booker Prize winning author Arundhati Roy, had a complex relationship with her mother which she explores in her memoir Mother Mary Comes To Me (2025). Mrs Roy, as she is called throughout, was a larger-than-life presence. Roy says of her mother that 'she was complete without me and I was incomplete without her', describing her as 'my shelter and my storm'.

Arundhati's alcoholic father Mickey left when she was two years old, and Mrs Roy returned to Kerala and built a life for herself, establishing a well-regarded school and becoming a beloved teacher and local celebrity. Arundhati and her brother had very different relationships with their mother, and Arundhati could not wait to get away. She enrolled in the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, determined to become an architect. Here she met an architect and had a brief marriage, before turning to work in television and film with her new husband, filmmaker Pradip Krishen. 

Arundhati shares her mother's activism and used her skills as a writer to draw attention to issues that concerned her - including anti-globalisation, colonialism, environmentalism and other social causes. In 1992 she turns to writing fiction and spends several years writing the semi-autobiographical novel The God of Small Things (1996) which went on to win the Booker Prize and become an international bestseller. Her second novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017) came two decades later. The fame and wealth that came from her work never sat well with her, and she continues to donate her royalties to human rights causes. 

There were long periods when Arundhati and her mother were estranged, but Mrs Roy's presence looms over everything. Indeed Mrs Roy is the inspiration for the character Ammu in The God of Small Things. Mrs Roy was proud of her daughter's success, to the extent that it was a demonstration the quality of education received at her school. As the two women get older, their relationship evolves, though never entirely heals. When Mrs Roy eventually succumbs to old age, Arundhati has lost her mother and her muse.

Mother Mary Comes to Me is an extraordinary memoir of Arundhati Roy's life and career. The book has received great acclaim, winning the National Book Critics Circle Award for biography and was recently shortlisted for the 2026 Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. The memoir is full of heart, humour and history - a wonderful story of mothers and daughters, and of artistic passion.

Having finished the book, I now want to go back and read The God of Small Things again in a completely different light, with a greater depth of meaning than when I read it almost thirty years ago.

I highly recommend the audiobook version of Mother Mary Comes to Me, read with passion and heart by the author herself. 

Dublin Literary Award Shortlist 2026

The Dublin Literary Award shortlist has been announced. From the 69 titles nominated in November 2025, to the longlist of 20 titles released in February 2026, the shortlist of six books has been derived. The shortlist is:  

Laurent Binet - Perspective(s)
French author Binet is best known for his debut novel HHhH. Perspectives is a murder mystery set in Renaissance Florence. Jacopo da Pontormo has been stabbed in a church. Guards searching his quarters find obscene artworks and a link to the Medici family.

Magdalena Blazevic - In Late Summer
Written from the perspective of a 14 year old girl killed in a Bosnian massacre in August 1993. In an idyllic village childhood friends Ivana and Dunja are enjoying their summer when war begins. A poetic novel of the trauma of war.

Eric Chacour - What I Know About You
Set in Cairo in the 1960s, Tarek has always had his life carved out for him. He is a doctor, expected to marry and have children like his father. But when he meets Ali, Tarek's life trajectory changes. Decades later Tarek is working in Montreal, but someone is writing about him. This novel was shortlisted for the 2024 Giller Prize. 

Brigitte Giraud - Live Fast

An autobiographical novel of loss follows a woman trying to make sense of her partner's death in a motorcycle accident. The widow reflects on their twenty years together and wonders if there was a way to avoid this tragedy.

Ali Smith - Gliff
From multi-award winning Scottish author, best known for her Seasonal Quartet and Women's Prize winning How to Be Both, Gliff is a dystopian novel set in a world of high surveillance and environmental degradation. Two siblings flee an authoritarian state, escaping on a stolen horse named Gliff. 

Ocean Vyong - The Emperor of Gladness
A nineteen year old stands on a bridge preparing to jump. An elderly widow stops him and he finds meaning in becoming her caretaker. Vyong's novel explores how this unlikely pair develop a relationship which cures the loneliness of people on the fringe of society. 

The shortlist culled a lot of interesting titles, including works by Sally Rooney, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Alan Hollinghurst, Karen Russell and Elif Shafak. Of this shortlist, I have no idea which way the judges will go. 

The winner of the 100,000 Euro prize will be announced in May 2026. 

Stella Prize Shortlist 2026

The 2026 Stella Prize Shortlist has been announced! The twelve nominees on the longlist have been whittled down to six finalists in the running for this important literary award.

The 2026 shortlist is as follows: 

• Evelyn Araluen - The Rot
• Geraldine Brooks - Memorial Days
• Miranda Darling - Fairweather
• Lee Lai - Cannon
• Marika Sosnowski - 58 Facets
• Tasma Walton - I am Nannertgarrook

Fiona Sweet, CEO and Creative Director of the Stella Prize, said of the shortlist:

"The books contained in this year's Stella Prize shortlist remind us that women and non-binary writers contain multitudes. These six books contain big stories and little stories. Big stories that challenge and delight readers, and introduce ideas that dismantle the very structures we take as fact. There are also little stories, small, tender, sensitive and beautiful moments that reflect on personhood, gender, relationships, trauma and loss. These little stories intimately stay with us long after finishing reading a book. There are many forms of stories in this list, from a graphic novel, poetry and prose, to memoir and non-fiction, which showcase the incredible calibre within these genres. I hope you enjoy these big and small worlds that these books generously welcome us into just as much as I did."

If I had to guess a winner, I reckon Brooks is in with a shot for her memoir of grief at the loss of her husband. Araluen is a previous winner, so I am not sure she would be awarded twice in a short period. The other title I am interested in is the book by Walton, about novel recreating stories of the Boonwurrung. I will be seeing Walton at the Sydney Writers' Festival in May.

The winner will be announced on 13 May 2026.  

Fast Falls the Eventide

Set in New England in the 1950s, Abide with Me (2006), is Elizabeth Strout's second novel. 

Tyler Caskey is the pastor in the sleepy hamlet of West Arnett, New England. He moved to the town a few years ago with his wife Lauren, and quickly earned respect of congregants with his memorable sermons, often inspired by the writings of German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Tyler prides himself on being able to memorise, not read, his sermons. He becomes entrenched in his community, although Lauren does not seem to be entirely suited for the quiet life as a pastor's wife.

Things begin to fall apart for Tyler when his wife dies, leaving him as a single parent to two young girls. Jeannie, the baby, lives with his overbearing mother, but he keeps the eldest, Catherine, at home with him. A year after her mother's death, Catherine, now five, is deeply troubled, with her trauma manifesting as situational mutism and strange behaviours at school. His housekeeper Connie wants to care for the girl, but has her own worries to deal with.

Soon the town begins gossiping, spreading rumours about Tyler and his daughter. He is frustrated at the petty politics he needs to deal with, a paltry budget, a campaign for a new organ, pressure to find a new wife. But what he really needs to do is grieve. 

Strout has deep empathy for her characters and has crafted such a loving portrayal of Tyler and the people in his orbit. She writes plainly, which belies the complexity of the tale. While there is sadness and loss, this is a heartwarming, hopeful story of faith and redemption. Her depiction of the small-town community is spot on, and as this novel is set in the 1950s, Strout includes Khrushchev and a fear of Communism and nuclear war in the background.

I am a latecomer to the Strout universe, beginning my exploration of her works in early 2025. But I am definitely a convert, committed to reading all her works.

My reviews of other novels by Elizabeth Strout are available on this blog:

• Amy and Isabelle (1998)
• Olive Kitteridge (2008)
• Tell Me Everything (2024)

Forgetments and Remembrances

In 2012 Australian author ML Stedman published her remarkable debut novel, The Light Between Oceans, which became a bestseller and was adapted into film. Set on a remote island off the coast of Western Australia, the isolated lighthouse keeper and his wife make a decision which will haunt them forever.  Fourteen years later, Stedman has written her hotly anticipated second novel, A Far-Flung Life (2026). 

Set in Western Australia, A Far-Flung Life, follows generations of the pastoralist MacBride family who reside on Meredith Downs, a million acre ranch in the remote Pilbara region. In 1958 Phil MacBride swerves his car on a dusty road to avoid a kangaroo. The car overturns killing himself and his eldest son, and forever changing his younger boy Matt. This tragedy sparks off a chain of events which will leave the remaining MacBrides concealing secrets, searching for answers, hiding shame, and longing for love. While memories can be difficult, the MacBrides will also learn that 'forgetments' - things you cannot or choose not to remember - can be rewritten and recast in a different light.

Stedman makes the most of this isolated location, depicting the landscape - its flora, fauna and geology - with great care. She layers the novel with how this environment shifts with drought and storms, changing agricultural approaches and the quest for mining beneath the surface. The history of WA's mining boom, the tragedy of blue asbestos, and the advances in technology are subtly woven into the tale. 

I really enjoyed this novel as it continually surprised me. There is a lot of sadness that befalls the family, and those around them, but Stedman is careful not to turn this into a melodrama and infuses the story with great heart, laughter and hope. More than the MacBrides themselves, I came to love the characters that came into the family's orbit: geologist Bonnie Edquist, roo shooter Pete Peachey, old mate Humpty, Englishman Miles Beaumont. Even the gossip-mongering post mistress had an interesting backstory. 

This is a heartfelt novel which would be a great read for fans of historical fiction, book clubs, and anyone who wants to immerse themselves in an epic tale. 

In the end, I reckon the message of A Far-Flung Life is that we should live in the present and not get bogged down in regret and shame. Leave the past where it is, and create your own forgetments. As Rose MacBride would say.... "Yawa, yawa, yawa."

International Booker Prize Shortlist 2026

The International Booker Prize 2026 Shortlist has been announced with six titles of fiction translated into English, from a longlist of thirteen. 

The shortlist is as follows:

• 
  The Nights are Quiet in Tehran by Shida Bazyar (translated by Ruth Martin)
  
• She Who Remains by Rene Karabash (translated by Izidora Angel)
• The Director by Daniel Kehlmann (translated by Ross Benjamin)
• On Earth as it is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia (translated by Padma Viswanathan)
• The Witch by Maria NDiaye (translated by Jordan Slump)
• Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi (translated by Lin King)

Natasha Brown, Chair of the judges writes of this shortlist:

"With narratives that capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history. While there's heartbreak, brutality, and isolation among these stories, their lasting effect is energising. Rereading each book, we judges found hope, insight and burning humanity – along with unforgettable characters to whom I'm sure readers will return again and again."

The prize awards £25,000 to the author and £25,000 to the translator, in recognition of the essential work of translators in bringing fiction to a wider audience. I am keen to read more translated fiction, and some of the titles on this shortlist sound interesting if I can track them down, although many are not yet available in Australia.

The winner will be announced on 19 May 2026.

Revisiting Murder on the Orient Express

It has been 20 years since I last read Murder on the Orient Express (1934), Agatha Christie's classic tale of a death on a train wherein all the suspects are trapped together and detective Hercule Poirot must ascertain who committed the crime. I first read it in high school in the 1990s, read it again in 2006,  and have seen the various film adaptations over the years. So when it was listed as the title for the 2026 Christie Challenge for March, in the category 'biggest impact on you as a young reader', I wasn't sure if I would bother to re-read it for the third time.

With a few hours to spare on a lazy weekend, I decided to give it another go and despite knowing the story well I really enjoyed it. This time I read not so much for the mystery but for Christie's structure and style. 

The story is simple. Poirot is returning from Istanbul to London on the famous railway line, the Orient Express. Other travellers include a Russian princess, a Hungarian Count and Countess, a British Colonel, an English Governess, a Swedish missionary, an American car salesman, and various secretaries, valets and maids. On the first night there is a commotion in sleeper 2, and Samuel Ratchett is found dead from a dozen stab wounds. Poirot investigates, working out loud to identify the killer or killers, and their possible motive for the crime. 

We learn early on that Ratchett is an alias. He was an American gangster who was responsible for the kidnapping of a young girl, Daisy Armstrong. Before he died, he expressed fear that he may be attacked. But who did the killing and why?

Poirot sets himself up in the dining car and interviews the other occupants of the sleeper carriage. One-by-one they answer his questions, each giving tiny morsels of evidence which paint a picture of what may have transpired the previous night. Once he has all the details, Poirot gathers the travellers together and posits two theories as to what transpired. The first, a simple case that a stranger boarded the train, committed the crime, and alighted. The second is that the killer is still on the train, among the group gathered together. 

Murder on the Orient Express is a great example of Christie's work and one I would recommend for someone new to her stories. It is short, fast-paced and humorous. It can be a bit confusing with so many characters, many of whom have aliases. There are also plenty of red herrings along the way, which Poirot deftly deals with as he investigates. Overall, a great revisit of this famous novel.

My reviews of other Christie novels are available on this blog: 

• The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)
• Murder on the Links (1923)
• The Body in the Library (1942)
• Mrs McGinty's Dead (1952)

For another great train caper, check out Murder on the Canadian (1976) by Eric Wilson.

Women's Prize for Non-Fiction Shortlist 2026

The third annual Women's Prize for Non-Fiction shortlist has been revealed! The longlisted sixteen works of non-fiction written by women, has been whittled down to six shortlisted titles. 

The 2026 shortlist is as follows:

• 
  Lyse Doucet - The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People's History of Afghanistan
• Daisy Fancourt - Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Transform Our Health 
• Judith Mackrell - Artists, Siblings, Visionaries: The Lives and Loves of Gwen and Augustus John
• Jane Rogoyska - Hotel Exile: Paris in the Shadow of War
• Arundhati Roy - Mother Mary Comes to Me
• Ece Temelkuran - Nation of Strangers: Rebuilding Home in the 21st Century 

Baroness Thangam Débonnaire, Chair of the Judges, said of the Shortlist:

"Whittling our remarkable longlist down to just six titles was by no means an easy task, but after careful consideration, we are proud to present a shortlist that celebrates six exceptional books and six hugely talented writers, and offers readers collectively a timely and timeless interrogation of our world today. Our shortlist shows the power and necessity of women’s writing at a time when recent statistics suggest a decline in non-fiction print sales in the UK. These books are an urgent antidote to mis- and dis-information, written with high standards of scholarship. They offer rich and original insights, in what often feels like a fragmented and uncertain world. They are six books of authority, told with humanity.”

I have just read Arundhati Roy's memoir Mother Mary Comes to Me and I reckon it is well positioned to win this prize. I will be seeing Lyse Doucet at the upcoming Sydney Writers' Festival, so may try and track down her book as well. 

The Winner of the £30,000 prize will be revealed on 11 June 2026. Happy reading!

Want more? Here is the video of the Shortlist announcement.

Mother Love

When I heard that Tayari Jones was publishing a new novel, I immediately ordered it from my local library and was first in the queue when it came out this month. I loved Jones' previous novel, An American Marriage (2018), which won the Women's Prize for Fiction, was named one of the Best Books of the 21st Century by The New York Times, and was my favourite fiction of 2018. So I had high expectations for her new novel Kin (2026).

In Honeysuckle, Louisiana, in the 1950s, two infant girls become "cradle friends' when they lose their mothers. Vernice 'Niecy' Davis' mother is murdered, leaving her orphaned. Her spinster Aunt Irene comes home from a new life in Ohio to care for the baby even though she claims she is 'no good with children', and is determined to raise her to become a respectable woman. Annie Lee was abandoned by her 'trifling' mother Hattie, who was off 'doing GodKnowsWhat, out in GodKnowsWhere'. Left to be raised by her Grannie, Annie has a constant yearning for her mother. The two girls grow up side-by-side, the best of friends, cared for by their kin and the broader community. But as they reach adulthood, it is clear they have distinctly different life trajectories. Will their friendship survive as they go their seperate ways, or will they become strangers to one another?

Niecy is accepted into Spelman College, an historically Black women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. She takes with her the hopes of her aunt and the other women who helped raise her, that she will become educated and meet a good man, and never end up in a town like Honeysuckle, breaking the cycle of poverty and disadvantage. Here she befriends her roommate Joette and gains a window into a new world of class and race, among a community of early civil rights activists. Determined to become what is expected of her, she may have to give up what she wants.

Meanwhile, Annie is off to Memphis, Tennessee, the last known location of her mother Hattie Lee. She is obsessed with finding and reconnecting with her mother, and has a romanticised view of their reunion. She journeys with her friends Clyde, Babydoll and Bobo, and their experiences along the way and in Memphis show a different experience of class and race as they struggle to find work and build lives. Will Annie ever find the mother love she has longed for her whole life?

For much of the novel, the two friends are geographically apart but remain close through letter writing and occasional visits. It is clear that they have only shared their true selves with each other, and despite the growing gulf between their life courses they remain committed to one another. A few years later, when they need each other most, they need to test the loyalties in their new lives and the deep bond of kinship they share, and make a difficult choice.

I loved Kin and the way in which Tayari Jones has created these vivid characters. Told in a similar way to An American Marriage, Jones alternates chapters in first-person narrative between the two women, and in doing so readers share their longing. I won't say more about the plot, for fear of spoilers, but there is a lot of complexity here and I appreciated the way Jones explored identity, race, class and gender in such a thoughtful and realistic way. I was saddened when it ended, as I wanted their story to continue. This is a brilliant novel and one that would fuel excellent discussions in a book club.  

In May I will be seeing Tayari Jones at the Sydney Writers' Festival. I am looking forward to hearing her speak about this novel, and being surrounded by other fans of her work. 

Circle of Friends

Lily King's novel Heart the Lover (2025) was all over the 'Best Books of 2025' lists at the end of last year. I kept seeing it raved about on social media but it didn't really pique my interest. Perhaps it was the title or the cover that put me off. I figured it was a chick-lit romance, which is definitely not my thing. But when some book bloggers I admire, and who have similar tastes, gave it high praise I thought perhaps I had judged it to quickly and ordered a copy.

Jordan is a successful author who has written many great love stories. But she has never written the story of her own true love. During her college days she became involved with Sam and Yash. Jordan was a relatively poor student, working multiple jobs and living in a dilapidated share house without funds to pay for heating. She starts dating fellow student Sam, and immerses herself in his world with his housemates Yash and Ivan. 

She and Sam eventually break up, but Jordan wants to remain in Yash's orbit. They realise they have feelings for one another but Yash doesn't want to betray his best friend. Their passion is too intense and they fall deeply in love and begin planning a future together. But it doesn't pan out the way they expected and they eventually they go their seperate ways, falling out of regular communication.

Decades later, Jordan is a successful writer, living with her husband and children in New England. She has a surprise visit causing her to remember the past and the decisions she made when she was young. She now has to reconcile the past and hold on to her present. 

I found Heart the Lover instantly relatable. It reminded me of my days at Trinity College, campus life at the University of Toronto, the poverty of our student years, the intellectual debates, the pressure of the assignments, and the share house I lived in with my greatest friends.  This novel also reminded me of many fantastic college campus novels like Donna Tartt's The Secret History, Sally Rooney's Normal People and John William's Stoner. 

King is the bestselling author  Euphoria and Writers and Lovers. Heart the Lover has just been longlisted for the 2026 Women's Prize for Fiction. I am looking forward to hearing Lily King speak at the upcoming Sydney Writers Festival in May. 

I am so glad to have read Heart the Lover. I guess the lesson here for me is not to judge a book by its cover!  Well, I am judging it, the cover is terrible and doesn't do the novel justice!

End Point

Garry Disher's latest novel, Mischance Creek (2025) is a masterful crime novel and the fifth outing in his Hirsch series.

Twice a week Constable Paul Hirschhausen (Hirsch) leaves his single-officer police station in Tiverton, South Australia and does the rounds of his large rural beat. His wellbeing checks usually involve him assisting the isolated locals with small chores in exchange for a cup of tea and a biscuit. Times are hard in this part of the world, with a drought devastating farmers and families being crushed by the cost of living. At the moment, Hirsch is conducting compliance checks on licensed gun owners, inspecting their firearms and making sure they are safely stored.

Hirsch is called out to Mischance Creek to assist a tourist who has been caught in a ditch. Annika Nordrum isn't exactly sightseeing. She has come to this place to find her mother's remains. Eight years ago her parents were fossicking in the area when tragedy stuck. Her father was found dead at the bottom of a disused mine shaft but her mother was never found. For Hirsch, this mystery allows him to be more than a beat cop so he agrees to help with the investigation.

But Hirsh doesn't get to focus on one thing at a time. There are other issues in town: illegal dumping of building materials; the theft of a caravan; hoons driving dangerously; some misfits calling themselves sovereign citizens; and much more. Plus, Hirsch has a lot of personal matters to deal with. He worries about his mum, now a widow, and while his relationship with Wendy is going well, her daughter has now entered her awkward teenage years.

Readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan of Garry Disher. Other Aussie Noir writers may have a higher profile (looking at you Hammer and Harper!) but Disher is the real deal. His plots are brilliantly paced, his characters are realistically crafted and multi-dimensional, and he depicts the landscape so well that readers can immediately feel a sense of place. Disher also presents the social issues facing rural communities well.

While Mischance Creek can be read as a standalone novel, you don't want to miss enjoying this series from the start. My reviews of other novels in the Hirsch series are available on this blog:

• Bitter Wash Road (2013)
• Peace (2019)
• Consolation (2020) 
• Day's End (2022)

I also recommend highly Disher's standalone novels, like: The Way it is Now (2021) and Sanctuary (2024). 

Finally, special thanks to my mum for giving me this book last Christmas. Loved it!

Stella Prize Longlist 2026

The 2026 Stella Prize longlist has been released! The annual literary award celebrating women and non-binary writers of both fiction and non-fiction is named after Australian author Stella Miles Franklin. 

Past winners include some of my favourite books on recent years, such as:

Sarah Holland-Batt for The Jaguar (2023)

Evie Wyld for The Bass Rock (2021)

Jess Hill for See What You Made Me Do (2020)

Vicki Laveau-Harvie for The Erratics (2019)

Heather Rose for The Museum of Modern Love (2017)

Charlotte Wood for The Natural Way of Things (2016)

Emily Bitto for The Strays (2015)

On 11 March 2026, the longlist was revealed with 12 nominees. 

The 2026 longlist is as follows:

• Eunice Andrada - Kontra (Poetry) 
• Evelyn Araluen - The Rot (Poetry) 
• Geraldine Brooks - Memorial Days (Memoir) 
• Debra Dank - Ankami (Memoir)
• Miranda Darling - Firewater (Fiction)
• Natalie Harkin - Apron-Sorrow/Sovereign-Tea (Non-Fiction)
• Lee Lai - Cannon (Graphic Novel)
• Charlotte McConaghy - Wild Dark Shore (Fiction)
• Lucy Nelson - Wait Here (Fiction)
• Micaela Sahara - Find Me at the Jaffa Gate: An Encyclopaedia of a Palestinian Family (Memoir)
• Marika Sosnowski - 58 Facets: On Violence and the Law (Non-Fiction)
• Tasma Walton - I Am Nannertgarrook (Fiction)

Fiona Sweet, Stella Prize CEO and Creative Director said of the longlist:

“Selected from an enormous pool of 212 entries, this year's judges have read thoughtfully and thoroughly across genres to bring us a cohort of twelve incredibly different, yet equally remarkable books. The Stella Prize is proud to celebrate a wide array of stories - difference has always been our strength. The 2026 Stella Prize long list spans widely across form and content, displaying some of the very best new work from Australian women and non-binary writers. There are stories here for everyone, stories that will resonate, surprise, delight, and challenge. We hope you will dive in and discover for yourself.”

Of the longlisted titles, I have read and loved Charlotte McConaghy's Wild Dark Shore. I am also interested in Brook's Memoir and Araleun's poetry collection. 

The Shortlist will be announced on 8 April 2026 with the winner of the $60,000 prize will be announced on 13 May 2026. 

 For more information and the complete judges comments, see the Stella Prize website. 

Carol Shields Prize for Fiction Longlist 2026

 American-born Canadian author Carol Shields is best known for award winning novels The Stone Diaries (1993), Larry's Party (1997), Unless (2002) although she also wrote plays, short stories and non-fiction. In 2023 an award was created in her memory to 'celebrate creativity and excellence in fiction by women and non-binary writers in Canada and the United States.' Past winners were:

• 2025 - Code Noir by Canisia Lubrin
• 2024 - Brotherless Night by VV Ganeshananthan
• 2023 - When We Were Sisters by Fatimah Asghar

Now in its fourth year, the longlist has been revealed with the following titles:

• The Edge of Water by Olufunke Grace Bankole 
• Sea, Poison by Caren Beilin 
• milktooth by Jaime Burnet 
• Suddenly Light by Nina Dunic 
• Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards
• Hellions by Julia Elliott 
• Casualties of Truth by Lauren Francis-Sharma 
• The White Hot by Quiara Alegría Hudes 
• Audition by Katie Kitamura 
• Cannon by Lee Lai 
• Wild Life by Amanda Leduc
• A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar
• The Morgue Keeper by Ruyan Meng
• The Sea Gives Up the Dead by Molly Olguín 
• Lion by Sonya Walger

Of these books, the ones I am most likely to read are the novels by Kitamura and Majumdar which have also been longlisted for the 2026 Women's Prize for Fiction.

The shortlist will be revealed on 21 April 2026 and the winner on 2 June 2026 at a ceremony in Toronto. The winner received $150,000 USD while the four shortlisted finalist receive $12,500 each. If the winner is translated, the author receives $100,000 USD and the translator $50,000. 

Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist 2026

On 4 March 2026, the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist was revealed! The annual literary award celebrating women writers has previously recognised the talents of so many gifted writers, including these past winners which are among my favourite reads:

Yael Van Der Wouden - The Safe Keep (2025)

Barbara Kingsolver - Demon Copperhead (2023)

Susanna Clarke - Piranesi (2021)

Maggie O'Farrell - Hamnet (2020)

Tayari Jones - An American Marriage (2019)

Lionel Shriver - We Need to Talk About Kevin (2005)

Andrea Levy - Small Island (2004)

 

The 2026 longlist is as follows:

Lucy Apps - Gloria Don't Speak

Nineteen-year-old Gloria has a learning disability. She has little to do except hang out with Jack. He is controlling and commits an act of violence. Gloria is largely non-verbal. She has to give evidence against him, but wants to remain friends. This is a tender book about a vulnerable person, taking readers into a life they are likely unfamiliar with. Author Apps is a doctor, working as a GP in London. Gloria Don't Speak is her debut novel. 

Hannah Lillith Assadi - Paradiso 17

Sufien was born in Palestine in 1948 and is forced to leave his home for a Syrian refugee camp. In exile, he spends his life searching for something he cannot articulate. He journeys to Damascus, Kuwait, Italy, New York and Arizona in search of family, friends, home. This is a story of displacement and belonging. American author Assadi teaches fiction at Columbia University. Her previous works are The Stars Are Not Yet Bells and Sonora.

Elaine Castillo - Moderation

Girlie is a content moderator removing inappropriate content on the internet. She takes a new job working for a big social media company on its new virtual-reality theme parks. The new job takes her away from family and friends. It seems like a dream opportunity, but she is soon in a virtual world and developing real feelings for her boss. Castillo is an author from California. Moderation is her second novel, having previously published America Is Not The Heart. Moderation sounds really intriguing and I love the cover!

Susan Choi - Flashlight

Ten-year-old Louisa and her academic father Serk go for a walk on a beach when tragedy strikes. Serk has disappeared.  Louise and her mother Anne are left to put together what happened. The novel moves between the post-war Korean immigrant community in Japan, suburban American and North Korea. Choi is an American author of six novels. She is best known Trust Exercise (2019) which won the US National Book Award for Fiction. Flashlight was Shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize and Longlisted for the 2025 National Book Award.

Addie E Citchens - Dominion

Set in Mississippi, Reverend Winfrey preaches at the local Baptist church and hosts a radio program, influencing every aspect of his community. His wife Priscilla, is by his side, raising their five sons. Their youngest son, Wonderboy is the favourite to continue his father's legacy. When Wonderboy is involved in a violent incident, the community reels. This story is told through the perspectives of the women who love these men.  Citchens is a writer from Mississippi. Dominion is her debut novel.

Wendy Erskine - The Benefactors

Three women from Belfast - Frankie, Miriam and Bronagh - have 18 year old sons. They have completely different backgrounds, but are brought together when their sons are accused of sexual assault at a house party. The story is told through the perspectives of all involved. Erskine is best known for her short story collections Sweet Home and Dance Move. She currently works as a secondary school teacher in Belfast. The Benefactors is her debut novel.

Virginia Evans - The Correspondent

Septuagenarian Sybil Van Antwerp sits down each day to write letters. She writes to her family, friends, former colleagues, her favourite authors, and she also writes but does not send, letters to another person to whom she shares her deepest feelings. Through the letters she writes and receives, readers come to learn about Sybil and the vulnerability that lies beneath her hard exterior. This is an engrossing debut novel which I absolutely loved. So happy it is on the list. My review is available on this blog.

Marcia Hutchinson - The Mercy Step

Mercy is born in Bradford in 1962 into a chaotic household where she is misunderstood by her siblings. Her parents are part of the Windrush Generation, migrating from Jamaica. She struggles to bond with her parents as her father is a violent man and her mother immerses herself in church life. Mercy escapes to her imagination and books, where she can see alternate futures for herself. By her teens she knows that if she wants a different life, she will have to claim it for herself. The Mercy Step is Hutchinson's debut solo novel, having previously coauthored The Blackbirds of St Giles.

Sheena Kalayil - The Others

Set in a city in East Germany in 1989, three young people from diverse backgrounds are caught up in a love triangle. Theo is an East Berliner who wants to be a writer but cannot gain higher education as he refuses to be recruited by the Stasi. Immigrants Armando from Mozambique and Lolita from India have come to this place to pursue their own dreams. As the Berlin Wall begins to fall it brings hope for Theo but uncertainty for Armando and Lolita. Kalayil is a Manchester-based author and teacher. She has previously published The Bureau of Second Chances, Sense of Place, and The Wild Wind. The Others is her fourth novel. 

Rozie Kelly - Kingfisher

An academic becomes infatuated with his colleague, the poet, threatening his relationship with his partner. The poet is his opposite, he is a queer man who has never been interested in women. He and his partner are in an open relationship, but his obsessed with the poet was not what either of them expected. Kelly is a writer from North Yorkshire and Kingfisher is her debut novel. Her writing has been compared to Sally Rooney. 

Lily King - Heart the Lover

The narrator knows all about great love stories. During her college days she became involved with Sam and Yash, in a classic love triangle. Decades later, she is a successful writer, living with her husband and children. She has a surprise visit causing her to remember the past and the decisions she made when she was young. King is a bestselling author of five novels, including Euphoria, and  Writers and Lovers. Super excited to read this book and actually bought it last week in anticipation of it being longlisted! (Update: finished - read review)

Katie Kitamura - Audition

A middle-aged actress meets a much younger man at a Manhattan restaurant. The woman is nervous and wonders what passers-by will make of the couple. Will they be seen as mother and son, age-gapped lovers, or something else? The pair have an unsettling conversation, giving way to more disquiet. Kitamura is an American author of five novels. She is best known for the critically acclaimed Intimacies (2021). Audition was Shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize and was on Barack Obama's 2025 summer reading list.

Megha Majumdar - A Guardian and a Thief 

Set in the near future, Ma, her young daughter Mishti and her elderly father are preparing to leave the Kolkata as it faces flood and famine. They have obtained visas and are planning to join Ma's husband in Michigan, but Ma's purse and all their immigration documents are stole by a thief who is desperate to care for his own family. Author Majumdar was raised in Kolkata but now lives in New York. She was nominated for the National Book Award for her debut novel A Burning. 

Charlotte McConaghy - Wild Dark Shore

I recently read Australian author Charlotte McConaghy's novel and absolutely loved it. Set on an island between Australia and Antarctica, it follows a family who are managing the shutdown of a research station which is being closed due to climate change. A terrible storm washes ashore a woman who arrives bruised and shivering, harbouring a secret. As she recovers from her injuries she discovers the island is full of secrets. Wild Dark Shore is a brilliant, multilayered, suspenseful page turner. My review is available on this blog. McConaghy is also the other of bestselling novels Migrations and Once There Were Wolves. 

Kit de Waal - The Best of Everything

It's the 1970s and Paulette works as an auxiliary nurse. She is desperately in love with Denton, but after he is killed she learns he had a wife and children that he never told her about. Still grieving this relationship, Paulette moves in with Denton's friend and soon has a child for whom she is determined to give the best of everything. De Waal is the author of My Name is Leon, an international bestseller, and a range of other novels, short stories and a memoir Without Warning and Only Sometimes (2022). She was previously longlisted for the Women's Prize in 2018 for The Trick to Time.

Alice Evelyn Yang - A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing

On her fourteenth birthday, Qianze's father walked out of her life. Eleven years later he shows up on her door, a stranger. He tells her about his past as a Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution, and how his mother survived Japanese occupation. While Qianze wants to know more about her family's past, it is dark and frightening to her. This is a story of intergenerational trauma, folklore and colonialism.  Yang is a Chinese American writer from Virginia. This is her first novel.

 
The chair of the judges, former Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard said of this longlist:

"Across a longlist that is international in both scope and setting, these sixteen books masterfully demonstrate the power of fiction to examine the messy business of being human. From climate change to artificial intelligence, they navigate the issues of our time with urgency and purpose, they immerse us in environments and experiences that are sometimes like our own, but more often are radically different, and they explore identities and perspectives that are often ignored or forgotten, amidst those inherently universal and recognisable. Spotlighting both emerging novelists and small, independent publishers, my fellow judges and I are proud to share a list that so wonderfully reflects the thriving creativity of contemporary women authors, as well as the crucial work of the Women’s Prize Trust in bringing unheard voices to the fore. It is truly a treasure trove for readers, and we offer our heartfelt congratulations to all the nominated writers."

My thoughts on the Longlist

This was an exciting list given there were so many surprises. I didn't blog my predictions this year but I was really hoping to see Wild Dark Shore and The Correspondent on the list so I am happy to see them longlisted. I had expected to see Madeliene Thein (The Book of Records) and Tayari Jones (Kin) on the list, and was hoping Emily Maguire (Rapture) to be longlisted too.

I have read two of the novels listed (The Correspondent and Wild Dark Shore) but I already have several others to get started with. I am particularly interested in Heart the Lover,  Moderation, and Audition. Many of the other books and authors I have not heard of, so I am delighted to be exposed to new writers. Last year's longlist gave me many hours of reading pleasure, so I am hopeful that this year's list will do the same. 

If I had to pick a shortlist, I would choose Flashlight, Audition, The Correspondent, and A Guardian and a Thief, to be among those listed. 

The shortlist will be announced on 22 April 2026 and the winner will be revealed on 11 June 2026. Happy reading!

Want more Longlist fun? Here are the judges announcing the longlist.