Palestinian-American writer Hannah Lillith Assadi has been named among the authors on the newly announced longlist for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, with her novel Paradiso 17 recognised among 16 titles competing for the prestigious literary award.
The longlist, unveiled by the Women’s Prize Trust, highlights a broad range of contemporary fiction by women. The selection includes seven debut novels and nine titles published by independent presses, with writers representing several countries including the US, UK, Ireland and Australia.
The judging panel is led by former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard, who said the longlisted books reflect the breadth and ambition of modern storytelling.
“Across a longlist that is international in both scope and setting, these 16 books masterfully demonstrate the power of fiction to examine the messy business of being human,” she said. “From climate change to artificial intelligence, they navigate the issues of our time with urgency and purpose.”
The judging panel also includes British poet and novelist Mona Arshi, British-Egyptian author and broadcaster Salma El-Wardany, British writer and comedian Cariad Lloyd, and Irish broadcaster and author Annie Macmanus.
Assadi’s Paradiso 17 appears alongside a varied group of nominated works. American authors on the longlist include Susan Choi (Flashlight), Lily King (Heart the Lover), Katie Kitamura (Audition), Elaine Castillo (Moderation) and Addie E Citchens (Dominion).
British writers include Lucy Apps for her debut novel Gloria Don’t Speak, Virginia Evans (The Correspondent), Marcia Hutchinson (The Mercy Step), Sheena Kalayil (The Others) and Kit de Waal (The Best of Everything).
Other authors on the list include Northern Irish writer Wendy Erskine for her debut novel The Benefactors, Scottish author Rozie Kelly (Kingfisher), British-Chinese writer Alice Evelyn Yang (A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing), Indian-American novelist Megha Majumdar (A Guardian and a Thief), and Australian writer Charlotte McConaghy (Wild Dark Shore).
Claire Shanahan, executive director of the Women's Prize Trust, said the award continues to play an important role in elevating women’s voices in literature.
“Across three decades, the Women’s Prize for Fiction has transformed the literary landscape, elevating women’s writing and empowering new voices,” she said.
The judges will narrow the longlist to six shortlisted titles, which will be announced on April 22. The winner will be revealed on June 11 at the Women’s Prize Trust’s summer event in London.
The winning author will receive £30,000 (Dh147,000) and a bronze statuette known as the Bessie, created by the late sculptor Grizel Niven.
