Women's Prize for Fiction book reviews and shortlist predictions 🔮

I haven't made a specific effort to read the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist this year, but have ended up reading over half of it! So here are my reviews, my rankings of the books (although, to be honest, there is so little between some of these books for me that it's been hard to nail down a definitive order) and of course my guess at the shortlist.

Let me know which ones you've read, how you thought about them, and what you're expecting to see on the shortlist.

Instagram giveaway:

Enter Ghost review:

Western Lane review:

Soldier Sailor review:

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00:00 Giveaway
01:45 9th place
04:09 8th place
07:08 7th place
07:56 6th place
10:35 5th place
13:17 4th place
16:26 3rd place
19:15 2nd place
20:00 1st place
20:43 Shortlist predictions

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Thank you so much for watching.

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#books #booktube #womensprize

[benreadsgood]

Thanks for watching 🙌 Let me know your shortlist predictions here in the comments!

[CharlieBrookReads]

Yeah for Soldier Sailor you were bang on the money with that one. It’s one of my faves on the list and of the year so far too.

Congrats on hitting 4k 👏❤️

[cathyg.]

Congratulations on reaching those milestones! 🎉 Great reviews! I haven’t read any of these books but I do have both Ordinary Human Failings and Soldier Sailor on reserve at my library. I hear a lot of good things about both books.

[bookonnoisseur]

I loved Soldier, Sailor too! Crossing my fingers it’s on the shortlist tomorrow

[hettiestroebel]

Congratulations on your new numbers!! Great to hear your book list preferences!

[wfitzpatrick]

I love that you loved Dolly Maunder and not so much The Wren, The Wren. All of your thoughts were exactly what I was thinking about them both. Thanks for another great video!

[peaseblossom]

I’ve only read 3 (The Wren The Wren, Hangman, and Western Lane) because I’ve switched to reading Pulitzer possibilities until that’s announced. I absolutely adored Western Lane—5 stars—and really hope it’s short-listed. I felt the same as you about The Wren The Wren, but thought it was just me not “getting the point”. I listened to Hangman, and though the narration was really well done and enjoyable, I think this is a book better read in print so one can flip back and revisit as the pieces fall into place. If it’s shortlisted, I’ll reread it. I do plan to read the entire list once I’m done with the Pulitzer.

Thanks for your video, and congrats on 4k! 🎉

[ReadtoFilth]

Interesting books with great topics ! Your voice is very smoothing, perfect for an audiobook.

[cindyfreese]

I’ve been wanting to read Soldier Sailor since the longlist announcement, but not available in the states till June 4th. Glad you liked it! Thanks for the video.

[Showmeyourshelfie]

Woohoo, so glad to have someone else on team Dolly and all her restlessness! Yes, it's an unpopular opinion and I'm with you there. Her struggle to figure out the disconnect she had with her parents and then not be able to remind it with her own children was heart wrenching. She championed for herself in such an impressive way but was just lost and recognized her own failings in motherhood. I just loved this one and was surprised that some of my booktube buddy's had such opposing opinions. Well, you are good company! Team Dolly and Soldier! You're on your own with Western Lane though - ha!

Thanks for the video!

[SupposedlyFun]

I don't know how, but I somehow missed all the UK BookTubers raving about Soldier Sailor. It comes out in the US about a week before the prize is announced!

[TheLeniverse]

I've read all but two. Just uploaded my shortlist predictions, very last minute 😅 My views are not your views, for sure (except that we both love Soldier Sailor). And I agree with everything you say about Hangman, but on balance I just didn't think it succeeded.

[TheEmzies]

Brotherless Night is my favourite from the longlist and hoping it gets more attention by shortlisting. Agree with your review of And Then She Fell and The Wren, The Wren. I'm one of the few who thought Soldier Sailor was dull but I can see it easily being a winner.

[KierTheScrivener]

I thought I was alone in being underwhelmed with The Wren, The Wren but as I hear more reactions I think it's less impactful than it might first seen.

Nightbloom and Brotherless Night are both great books!

[karenmoore]

Hi Ben of the ones I have read I think that Soldier, Sailor, Ordinary Human Failings, Nightbloom, and Enter Ghost will be on the shortlist. I am reading A Trace of Sun at the moment.

[rebecca.reader]

Hi Ben, I have only read four of the longlist, so far. Western Lane, The Maiden, The Wren The Wren and Soldier Sailor. The Wren The Wren was my favourite, followed closely by Soldier Sailor. I feel that I haven't read enough to predict the shortlist, but I'd love to see Enter Ghost, Brotherless Night, Dolly Maunder and Nightbloom on there as those are the four that I really want to read.

[FeelToBelieve]

I’ve only read 9, with three to go and four unavailable (I’m in US, but I’m okay with not reading The Maidens, Dolly, Trace of Sun….Soldier Sailor the only non available I’m wishing I could read).

Of the 3 remaining for me two are Brotherless Night and In Defence of the Act. Knowing my style and others’ reviews…I’m holding a place for both on my shortlist. That gives four remaining places, which would be:

- Ordinary Human Failings
- River East, River West
- And Then She Fell
- Western Lane

And so glad to hear someone else not love The Wren, The Wren. My first Enright and I went in with SUCH high expectations. Except my one DNF (Blue Beautiful World), The Wren was the worst for me!

[EllenFelicity]

'Appreciation' rather than 'enjoyment' is a good way of putting it, I definitely felt that way about some of the books on this list (though not Dolly Maunder - I didn't appreciate that 😂 I agree that the character of Dolly is impressive, the writing style just did not work for me at all)

[MsPixieD]

Hi Ben, congrats on your milestones!
Towards the end of this video, you talked about how, although you'd warmed up to the longlist, "there are certainly better eligible books" that you've read. Can you please list some here? I'm still building my tbr, and after comparing Booktubers' reviews for 4-5 months, your reactions to books I've read tend to vibe with my opinions. So I'd really like to know the longlist of your dreams 😀

Btw, I'm doing your Storygraph challenge, and for the "read a previous women's prize- winning book" prompt, I picked Grenville's The Idea of Perfection, thinking if I liked it I might add Dolly Maunder to my list. (I did think Idea was very well imagined and written). Your review cements that decision. Your review also made me more eager to read Nolan's book, which didn't appeal to me when I first heard the blurb (although when another BookTuber read the first sentence, the writing did sound spectacular! Glad to have that confirmed.)

And even for the one you didn't like as much, it was good to find out the author does so well narrating part of the audiobook, because that helped me decide I'll listen vs. physically read Wren.
Cheers!

[barbarahelgaker]

Glad to hear someone else really liked Dolly Maunder!