Nigerian Author, Ayòbámi Adébáyò’s second novel, ‘A Spell of Good Things’, has been longlisted for this year’s edition of the Booker Prize.
Launched in 1969, The Booker Prize, the world’s most prestigious award for a single work of fiction written in English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland, recognises outstanding contributions to the literary world.
Since 2014, the Booker Prize has also allowed American writers to be eligible for the award, expanding the competition.
This year’s list comprises 13 authors and titles, with the notable inclusion of four debut authors.
“The list is defined by its freshness – by the irreverence of new voices, by the iconoclasm of established ones,” Chairman of the Panel of Judges, Esi Edugyan said.
However, Adebayo’s work explores the themes of class and desire in modern-day Nigeria. Judges have described her work as a “powerful, staggering read,” highlighting its exceptional storytelling and compelling examination of societal dynamics. It tells the story of two families in Nigeria, showcasing what happens when there is wealth inequality, an imbalance of power, and political corruption.
She becomes the fifth Nigerian novelist to be nominated for the Booker Prize and would be the second Nigerian-born winner after Nigerian-born British poet and novelist, Ben Okri.
The final winner will be revealed on November 26 and will receive a grand prize of £50,000, while each shortlisted novelist will be awarded £2,500 along with a specially bound edition of their book.
The full longlist is:
1. Ayòbámi Adébáyò, A Spell of Good Things
2. Sebastian Barry, Old God’s Time
3. Sarah Bernstein, Study for Obedience
4. Jonathan Escoffery, If I Survive You
5. Elaine Feeney, How to Build a Boat
6. Paul Harding, This Other Eden
7. Siân Hughes, Pearl
8. Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow, All the Little Bird-Hearts
9. Paul Lynch, Prophet Song
10. Martin MacInnes, In Ascension
11. Chetna Maroo, Western Lane
12. Paul Murray, The Bee Sting
13. Tan Twan Eng, The House of Doors
