Six novels compete for the Booker Prize 2025, showcasing diverse storytelling and rich narratives.
The Booker Prize 2025 shortlist was announced on September 23, featuring six novels, among which is Kiran Desai’s The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. This marks her return to the literary scene after 19 years since her Booker Prize-winning work, The Inheritance of Loss. The other notable titles on the shortlist include Flashlight by Susan Choi, Audition by Katie Kitamura, The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits, The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller, and Flesh by David Szalay.
The winning author of the Booker Prize will be revealed on November 10 in London, with the recipient set to receive £50,000. Roddy Doyle, who chairs the Booker Prize 2025 judges, highlighted that the six shortlisted authors demonstrate a mastery of the English language and rhythm unique to their storytelling. He emphasized that each novel offers a fresh exploration of individual experiences and interactions with others, underscoring the human aspect of their narratives.
This year’s shortlist reflects a balance of gender, featuring three women and three men authors. The authors hail from diverse backgrounds, including Indian, British, Hungarian-British, and American origins. Should Kiran Desai win, it would mark a historic achievement for India, completing a clean sweep of the 2025 Booker Prizes, following the earlier recognition of author Banu Mustaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi, who won the International Booker Prize for their collection, Heart Lamp.
Among the shortlisted authors, Susan Choi, Katie Kitamura, and Ben Markovits are all first-time nominees for the Booker Prize. In contrast, Andrew Miller and David Szalay have previous nominations, with Miller recognized for Oxygen in 2001 and Szalay for All That Man Is in 2016. Kiran Desai, who previously won the Booker Prize in 2006, has a notable literary lineage; her mother, Anita Desai, was shortlisted three times for the same prize.
If Kiran Desai secures a win in 2025, she would join an elite group of authors who have won the prize twice, including Margaret Atwood, Peter Carey, JM Coetzee, and Hilary Mantel. The competition among the shortlisted novels is expected to be intense, given the unique perspectives and narrative styles presented by each author.
As a glimpse into these works, the opening lines of the shortlisted novels reveal rich imagery and emotional depth. For instance, Desai’s novel begins with a depiction of a wintry dawn, where characters engage in the everyday ritual of planning their meals. This scene sets the tone for a narrative steeped in familial relationships and cultural nuances. In another shortlisted work, the dynamics between a father and daughter are explored through their walk along a breakwater, highlighting themes of safety, learning, and the complexities of familial love. Such diverse openings offer a taste of the intricate storytelling that defines this year’s shortlist.
