The Women’s Prize for Fiction has unveiled its 2025 shortlist, showcasing a diverse array of voices that delve into themes of personal freedom, identity, and the complex intersection of Western values and cultural traditions.
This year’s shortlist is notably dominated by fresh talent, with four of the six authors being debut novelists: Aria Aber, Sanam Mahloudji, Nussaibah Younis, and Vale van der Wouden.
Aber’s Good Girl addresses the struggles of a teenager born in Germany who grapples with a dual identity, feeling shame about her Afghan heritage. Younis’s Fundamentally tackles the moral complexities of a United Nations-run de-radicalization program for ISIS women in Iraq, exploring the ethical ramifications of Western intervention.
Mahloudji’s The Persians unfolds as a family drama spanning five women whose lives are intricately tied to the modern history of Iran. The novel raises poignant questions about the possibility of breaking free from the weight of one’s past.
In The Safekeep, debut author Vale van der Wouden presents a woman in her thirties living alone in her late mother’s home, whose solitary existence is disrupted by the arrival of a young woman. The novel addresses themes of emotional repression, historical amnesia, and the journey of self-discovery, with a focus on sexuality.
Alongside these debut voices, established authors Miranda July and Elizabeth Strout also make the shortlist. July’s All Fours explores a mid-life artist’s quest for freedom, immersing herself in a transformative road trip. This marks her second time on the shortlist. Strout’s Tell Me Everything revisits characters from her bestselling novel My Name Is Lucy Barton, focusing on their reflections on life in their later years.
The shortlist reflects strong narratives about women defying societal expectations, particularly in the realms of motherhood, aging, self-perception, and sexuality.
The six shortlisted works were chosen by a panel of five judges: Kit de Waal, Diana Evans, Bryony Gordon, Deborah Joseph, and Amelia Warner, from an original longlist of 16 authors.
The winner of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction will be announced on Thursday, 12 June, during the Women’s Prize Trust’s summer event in London. The award includes a £30,000 prize and a limited edition bronze statuette known as the “Bessie,” created by artist Grizel Niven.
Kit de Waal, Chair of Judges, expressed that the shortlist “celebrates rich, multi-layered narratives that will surprise, move, and delight the reader.” She added that this year’s selections “perfectly exemplify the original tenets of the Prize: originality, accessibility, and sheer brilliance.”
De Waal also noted the surprising presence of humor, nuance, and lightness within the novels, highlighting how these authors tackle challenging concepts with grace. She confidently stated that these six novels have the potential to become future classics.
