The 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist

After a life of exile, grief and loss, one Palestinian man propels forward in search of meaning in Paradiso17. Poet Hannah Lillith Assadi takes readers on a lyrical journey through fate and across countries for a brilliant, moving debut novel.

When the lines between virtual reality and human interaction start to blur, surrendering to the messiness of life might just be the only option. This is a humorously disarming love story that comes wrapped up in big tech and family drama.

A riveting story of a family in crisis, Flashlight unravels an intimate tragedy in a sweeping scope. Taking on family secrets, grief, and identity, this is an emotionally reflective read that’s interwoven.

Small-town secrets and unspoken rules follow the church community in Dominion, Mississippi, where Reverend Sabre Winfrey Jr. and his five sons reside. But after an unexpected encounter with a stranger, the family wrestles with drama that sends shockwaves through the congregation in Addie Citchens’ sharp debut.

Who we are with different people is really up to us, and Sybil channels different parts of herself into the letters she writes. A journey of growing older, healing and embracing the winds of change, this reflective and funny read is perfect for epistolary fans.

Mercy is a precocious young girl living in 1960s Bradford, where she struggles to find her place within her family and finds comfort in her doll, Dolly. A story of resilience and growth through the eyes of a child, The Mercy Step is a tender coming-of-age debut from Marcia Hutchinson.

When three unlikely friends are caught in a tangled love triangle, secrets emerge that could change their worlds forever. Beautiful storytelling and a vivid glimpse into Eastern Europe’s quiet revolution makes this a suspenseful and emotional read.

Poetry, love, obsession and illness intertwine in this vividly written story that explores the mysteries of what draws humans to each other and the unexpected ways life stirs us in different directions.

Ghosts of a passionate college love triangle resurface, stirring up Jordan’s life decades later. Known for witty and emotionally moving stories that deeply resonate with her fans, Lily King does it again.

Daring and dazzling, Katie Kitamura’s latest follows one woman’s exploration of identity, life and love — with the bite of Colored Television by Danzy Senna and the intimacy of All Fours by Miranda July.

Two families’ plights collide in this layered tale of hope and despair. Chasing a dream, one family hopes to relocate from India to Michigan to avoid famine and a climate disaster, but their plans take an unexpected turn — one that could cost them everything.

A future ravaged by disastrous weather, a small town on the brink of collapse and one family at the center of it all. Gripping, visceral and taut, Wild Dark Shore is a complex story about survival, isolation and hope at the end of the world.

Spanning decades across continents, this debut novel is a story of fate, forgiveness and the powerful bonds of a family. Alice Evelyn Yang explores the lasting effects of intergenerational trauma through the lens of a young woman living in the shadow of a familial prophecy.

Published as The Best of Everything in the UK, this tender story of love, loneliness and unexpected kindness follows one woman as she endures an unimaginable tragedy that alters the course of her life, discovering strength and forgiveness along the way.