We can’t wait to find out which of the Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted books will be crowned as this year’s winner. Our six book clubs selected to shadow the Women’s Prize for Fiction have been reading, discussing and reviewing those titles. Keep reading to find out what they thought.
The winner of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction will be announced on Thursday 12 June 2025 at the Women’s Prize Trust’s summer party in central London, along with the winner of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. The winner will receive a cheque for £30,000, anonymously endowed, along with a limited-edition bronze statuette known as the ‘Bessie’, created and donated by the artist Grizel Niven.
You can watch along to the announcement live via the Women’s Prizes YouTube channel from 6:30pm on 12 June.
Find out what our book clubs thought about the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction shortlist here.
More information can be found on the Women’s Prizes website here.
The shortlist
- Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
- The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji
- Good Girl by Aria Aber
- Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis
- All Fours by Miranda July
- The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Church Road Book Club
Church Road is in a small corner of a rural village in North Somerset. Members met virtually during the pandemic in a WhatsApp support group, and soon discovered their love of talking about books. They were selected to read Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout.
It was noted that the book’s “collage of stories was truly about people, real people making connections, even though sometimes the logic of their relationships were opaque to an outsider.” The book generated many discussions on a broad range of topics including childhood trauma, loneliness, empathy, clinical/professional empathy, marriage, friendship and love, as well as a debate on the concept of ‘sin eating’.
Overall, the group had mixed feelings about the book – many loved the “weaving of different storylines and the vivid portrayal of place and people” in a truly authentic, human way. Others felt the myriad of characters and their stories confusing, struggling to connect with the story.
For them, “the book being ‘better after book club’ is about seeing stories through each other’s perspectives. It’s like seeing a story through another set of eyes…”
Chwaeroniaeth Book Club
Chwaeroniaeth Book Club have been meeting to discuss books since 2015. Members met through working for Shelter Cymru, and their love of books and each other’s company has kept them meeting every six weeks since. They were selected to read The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji.
Overall, members described The Persians as “an enthralling and fascinating deep dive into a women’s journey spanning 3 generations across two continents” with a “rich narrative so well told it leaves the reader with a natural dissonance in acknowledgement of the flawed human experience.” “Ultimately, this is the story of women, intelligent, vibrant women who are limited in the choices available to them, and who exercise power and influence as best they can as carriers of secrets, lies, pride and guilt. Love or loathe them, there is much of both.”
The characters generated many discussions amongst the group due to their “sheer disregard for people and their quest for maintaining status”—and this was only heightened by these very same characters working in a social justice setting. They were portrayed to be “privileged, spoilt and their moral compass and decision-making highly questionable,” with this having a significant long-lasting impact. The story also brought awareness of the revolution in the 1950s and 1970s.
Friends of Ewell Grove Book Club
Friends of Ewell Grove Primary School PTA started their book club two years ago as a relaxed way for parents and carers to get to know each other. Meeting once every half term, the book club has brought the joy of reading back into the lives of busy parents. Swapping bedtime stories for grown-up ones, members enjoy a variety of books and the lively discussions that follow. They were selected to read Good Girl by Aria Aber.
The group all “felt an appreciation of the book, prompting in depth and lively discussions, as there were varying degrees of enjoyment.” Some felt the “writing style was…contrived, pretentious, too superior, densely-poetic, and over-done—with difficulties in relating to the characters and the story itself,” as well as the story feeling “cyclical and repetitive.” However, many thought that this felt like a true reflection of “grappling with self-identity and coming of age, which can often feel like this.”
The book sparked discussions which explored darker themes such as nihilism, abuse, systemic racism, and the complexities of coming of age, as well as prompting reflection on racial prejudice, particularly regarding immigrant heritage, sparking broader conversations about contemporary debates on immigration, xenophobia, and personal responsibility in these issues.
Hythe Remainers Book Group
The Hythe Remainers Book Group was inaugurated in October 2019 in the small Kent seaside town of Hythe, as an offshoot of a local group of pro-European campaigners, with a view at least initially to read more books written by European authors or with a European setting. Over time, this extended to reading with a worldwide focus. They were selected to read Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis.
The group had lively discussions with members ranging in views and opinions. Some felt “disappointed that a book we felt was addressing an important topic could have been so much better” but others thought the writing style made the topic accessible and comedic in nature, which would potentially help to engage a wider audience.
A member, who reflected on the book positively, highlighted it as “a necessary book which I hope will be widely read and I applaud the author for getting this story out there and making sure these women aren’t forgotten,” as well as another describing it as an “enlightening novel and appreciated the insight into the UN and the plight of the seemingly abandoned ISIS brides.” Others felt the main character of Nadia “came over as naïve, clueless, self centred and shockingly unprepared for her role,” however another felt “this did accurately reflect the way in which people cope with stressful situations.”
Soph’s Book Club
Based in Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, the club was created by Sophie just over a year ago after a social media post flagged up the lack of book clubs in the local area. She saw the opportunity to bring people together over their love of books and decided to give it a try. Now with over 400 members following the club online and 30-40 members attending meetings once a month, the club has become so much more than anyone could have expected! They were selected to read All Fours by Miranda July.
The group had very mixed opinions on the book—nobody felt the same which definitely initiated some very interesting conversations. Many felt it was a thought-provoking read that included many experiences which members found they connected deeply with, and the authors “approach feeling refreshingly honest about topics often left unspoken.” However, others felt the supporting characters existed “mainly to reflect the protagonist’s journey rather than as fully rounded individuals” due to the use of first-person narration.
Many group discussions centred around the graphicness of the writing style and the marmite nature of the unnamed main character—but this also raised important conversations surrounding various cultural and societal topics such as menopause and the societal expectations of women and mothers. Overall, the book was “a compelling read that doesn’t shy away from difficult topics.”
Vi’s Book Club
Vi’s Book Club is a community for everyone living in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames who shares a passion for reading and want to meet local friends, with a wonderful tradition of reading and meeting local authors. They were selected to read The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden.
The group engaged deeply with the book, and while reactions varied, the diversity of opinion led to rich discussions. Some members thoroughly enjoyed the book, finding the gothic atmosphere immersive and the setting holding significant psychological weight—especially in the way it added depth and mirrored the emotional state of the complex characters. Others felt as if the book was “heavy or emotionally dense,” with disappointment surrounding the ending which seemed rushed or slightly underdeveloped.
They noted key themes of “ownership—both of property and of personal identity—especially in the context of historical conflict and injustice,” “gender roles and the historical imbalance in the treatment of sons and daughters” as well as the depiction of homosexuality and how this contrasts with modern perceptions of the Netherlands.
Overall, a member described the author’s writing as “delicate, controlled and attentive, winding through the still house with perfect pace. I found myself tracing objects, counting knives and holding breaths with Isabel as her world slowly and excruciatingly is pulled apart at the seams. It’s a novel once finished, you want to read to savour again, and to try to catch the minute moments of unravel and ignition as they occur.”
Get involved
Are you interested in reading any of the shortlisted titles? Find out more about the shortlist here.
What do you think of the 2025 shortlisted titles? Which have you read and what will be added to your TBR pile? Add your comments below, or click any title above to leave a review.
Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, X and Instagram using #WomensPrize.
Keep up with all the latest news on the Women’s Prize website.
Want to make sure you never miss the latest reading group news? Sign up for our free monthly newsletter.
