Women’s prize for fiction: tales of power, agency, ageing and connection – six experts review the shortlist

By Jenni Ramone, Associate Professor of Postcolonial and Global Literatures, Nottingham Trent University
Alison Donnell, Professor of Modern Literatures in English, University of East Anglia
Anne Whitehead, Professor of Modern & Contemporary Literature, Newcastle University
Manjeet Ridon, Associate Dean International, Faculty of Arts, Design & Humanities, De Montfort University
Paty Paliokosta, Associate Professor of Special and Inclusive Education, Kingston University
Sojin Lim, Reader in Asia Pacific Studies, Co-Director of the International Institute of Korean Studies, University of Lancashire

The Women’s prize for fiction has been awarded to a female author of any nationality for the best novel written in English since 1996. In its 30th year, it is now one of the most influential literary awards in the world.

The 2026 shortlist explores themes of power, agency, ageing and connection. The list reflects the prize’s drive to support new and emerging female talent with four debuts.

Here we have enlisted six experts to guide you through the nominations for 2026.

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~	Cincinnati, where Vance converted, gives a glimpse of Catholicism’s history in America’s heartland

~	What the tattoos of World Cup players say about their love, life and religious beliefs

~	How Amazon workers made glamour a form of protest

~	HIV enters the brain and doesn’t leave – paradoxically, drugs intended to reduce brain inflammation increase virus levels

~	Upcoming telescopes could shed light on dark matter – astronomers are looking for these ‘fingerprints’ of the elusive substance

~	US indictment of Raúl Castro comes amid a long history of American aggression against Cuba

~	Can kids go to prison? A legal expert explains how young people can be tried and sentenced as adults

~	Detroit is spending millions on gunshot detection tech – is it an effective tool in the fight against violent crime?

~	As America approaches its 250th anniversary, The Federalist remains an indispensable guide to understanding the constitutional system and the nation’s enduring independence

~	Both Democrats and Republicans give millions to universities in earmarks – but not in the same way