Women’s Prize Readalong?

[Partylots]

Hi, anyone reading the Women’s Prize longlist this year? No way I’m going to read all 16 in the less than a month they have between the longlist and shortlist announcements. Why is it so short?? Kind of makes the idea of a longlist a bit pointless. Anyway, anyone fancy a discussion thread? I’ve read A Little Trickerie and Birding and loved both which is a huge improvement on last year when I struggled with all the ones I read.

I've been reading the non-fiction list: Story of a Heart; Raising Hare; The Eagle and the Hart and The Peepshow.

Enjoyed them all but think Raising Hare will win.

I've read Birding on the fiction list (before it was longlisted)

My husband bought me , A Little Trickerie and The Safekeep a couple of days ago as I wan't feeling well and didn't want to move from the sofa. I'm hoping to read them next week-they're in the queue.

I've reserved The Artist at the library. They've got nine copies on order and I'm number 4 in the queue.

So, I've only read one but from the hype around it, I think The Safekeep will be the winner.

From the non fiction I have read

Raising Hare
the Peepshow
sister in Law

enjoyed them all but the latter was my favourite.

from the fiction I have read

All Fours
Nesting
The Artist
The Safekeep

and I have

Dream Count and
Fundamentally in my TBR pile

The Artist is probably my favourite so far.

Have ordered A Little Trickerie from the library and have read Nesting which I enjoyed and was really rooting for the character .

can’t find the Artist in the library yet. Intrigued by it. I’ve got The Safekeep and Nesting on my kindle so they’ll be next up for me. I’m hoping to have read 5 or 6 by the shortlist announcement.

I’ve read 9 so far. My favourite is The Artist followed by The Safekeep and Birding. Overall, I’m a bit disappointed this year - the list just hasn’t grabbed me as much as the previous two years. I’ve heard lots of good reviews of A Little Trickerie but it wasn’t for me- I think if you like the character voice, you’ll like the book.
I’m hoping I love some of the remaining books (Still have to read Nesting, Fundamentally, Good Girls, Dream Count, The Dream Hotel and Amma)

From the non-fiction I’ve only read two- The Peepshow (okay) and Agent Zo (really enjoyed).

It’s funny how different years have such different feels. I’ve struggled with the last couple of years, didn’t really enjoy any of the books I read last year but so far enjoying this year much more. Wonder how much it has to do with the judges and how we align with them? I enjoy Kit de Waal’s books more than Monica Ali’s, for example, the last two head judges.

I completely agree- I usually prefer the Women’s Prize to the Booker but I’m looking forward to the Booker this year with Roddy Doyle as chair of the judges.