2021 Women's Prize for Fiction Long List

Here are the sixteen book nominated for the former Orange Prize:

Because of You by Dawn French
Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi
Consent by Annabel Lyon
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan
How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
Luster by Raven Leilani
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
Nothing But Blue Sky by Kathleen MacMahon
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
Summer by Ali Smith
The Golden Rule by Amanda Craig
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller

The only one I have read is Summer, which was brilliant, but I suspect that something with a bit more popular appeal will win. Anyone care to comment on any of the longlisted books?

Burnt Sugar was a nominee for the Booker prize last year. It's short but very nasty. I hate the people who nominated it for TWO, at least two awards, therefore discrediting themselves.

>2 Jiraiya: Hating people because they like different type of literature than you do is a bit disturbing. Hate the book if you want to but let's not hate people for what they read :)

>3 AnnieMod:

If it's frowned upon, I accept the edification. I do know that free speech doesn't cover all aspects of debates, and I am aware of being on a private website, on a person's Club. I don't mind being shepherded.

>1 Cariola:
As always, there are a bunch that I've never heard of, and some that are downright obscure. Those are the ones I often find the most rewarding.

I expect The Vanishing Half will at least make the short list, as everyone is so over the moon about it. I will read it later this month for my book club. The ones I'm most looking forward to are Small Pleasures, the Golden Rule, Exciting Times, Consent, Nothing But Blue Sky, and Summer. I have Consent arriving next week. Several of the others I will have to wait for or order now from the UK.

>1 Cariola: i’m just reading this post ☺️ Anyway, I listened to Burnt Sugar. I agree with >2 Jiraiya: that it’s very nasty, but i still enjoyed it. Summer is waiting for me. Soon, I hope.

>6 dchaikin: Dan, I was just going through my Amazon wish list this morning and saw that someone recently purchase Burnt Sugar, so I am guessing it will be a Mother's Day gift. I doubt my daughter reads the descriptions, probably just checks the price.

I just finished Piranesi on audio and was not that impressed. The narrator was good, however; he won the Audie Award.

>7 Cariola: now that’s a nice Mother’s Day gift. Curious what you might make of it.

>8 dchaikin: I'll let you now when I get around to it.

Short List announced today:

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood

I know lots of people think this is a great short list. I’m not all that excited myself