Kate Grenville is Australian, I discovered her when I lived there 14 years ago. I’ve read The Secret River and A Room Made of Leaves which create such a profound sense of place, New South Wales. Definitely reading Restless Dolly Maunder!

I was surprised that Tom Lake didn't make the longlist. It captures a moment before dissolution and a sense of fernweh. So many of us were becalmed by the pandemic. Held by family, but also inertia. It really speaks to a moment in history.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I would have loved to see it here!

Enter Ghost is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time - highly recommend her interview on the Tin House podcast - surprised it’s not on your list! It’s a triumph of a book.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

That's good to know--I'll look for that episode. Thanks!

I love that I knew almost none of these books! I think that makes it more exciting

I have read two The Wren, The Wren Ordinary Human Failings I’m in the middle of a third. I’m listening to Solider Sailor It’s part of my TBR for the #irishreadathon Loads of books I’ve never heard of. I’ve ordered Enter Ghost And Then She Fell The Maiden 8 Lives of A Century Old Trickster Restless Dolly Maunder I’m not going to rush to read the whole long list. I’m waiting to hear from reviews from other readers. ☘️👋🍀📖🇮🇪📕☕️📚

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I'm not going to rush it either. 🥂

Thanks, Greg!🌷Enter Ghost is the only book I’ve read and I can warmly recommend it.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

It’s been getting a lot of good feedback, so that’s good to hear!

I was super happy that I predicted 4 of them (Enter Ghost, Nightbloom, The Wren, The Wren and Western Lane). I am so happy to see Alicia Elliot on this list. She's a local Indigenous author to me in southern Ontario. Peace Adzo Medie is not well known but I've been singing her praises since I read her debut His Only Wife in January 2021. Do you have room in your suitcase to buy books in Ireland? No shipping involved 😂

@alt9977

3 ай бұрын

I was happy to see Alicia Elliot on the list too, but I didn't like "And Then She Fell" - I dnf'd it.

The list this year has more to tempt me than in many years past. I’m ordering: The Blue, Beautiful World; Enter Ghost; And Then She Fell; 8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster; The Maiden, and Nightbloom. I’m especially pleased to see both magical realism and an SFF genre book make the longlist. LOL! Totally different than your interests. Aren’t books just great that way!

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I look forward to your thoughts on the ones you ordered--even Blue, Beautiful World! I'm glad other people are more excited about it than I am.

I haven't read any of these! I am going to read Enter Ghost this month for BookTube prize judging and I have Western Lane as well. A lot of these sound interesting; I'm going to check my library to see what they have. Thanks for sharing the descriptions!

LOL ‘A Blue, Beautiful World’ is the one I’m most interested in. A lot of very promising books on this list.

I'm very interested in "The Maiden." My local library is working to find a copy for me.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I hope they get it for you soon!

I've only read 2 of the books on the list. The Maiden was a good historical fiction work, but I was surprised to see it on the list only because it didn't quite feel like a prize-caliber book. I also read Western Lane which really didn't work for me. I am interested in the science fiction book and I have Enter Ghost on hold.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

Enter Ghost has been getting a lot of positive feedback.

I’ve had so much fun watching reaction videos today. Lots of surprise from everyone! This is my first year paying attention to the Women’s Prize (or any literary prizes, honestly) so I don’t have a sense of what they normally pick. I recently read Mrs S by K Patrick, and was absolutely blown away by it, so I had been rooting for it to make the list, but never saw it mentioned in anyone’s prediction videos. Maybe it didn’t qualify for some reason? I’m wondering if the author may not identify as a woman. But it’s an amazing read. I’m 75% through listening to Hangman, and it’s a very curious book. I’m just starting to glimpse where the author is taking this story of a man returning to his homeland. If I had the time and budget, I would buy both the nonfiction & fiction lists and read them all before the deadlines, but alas. I have The Wren The Wren coming soon in Libby, and I’m most intrigued by Enter Ghost, And Then She Fell, as well as The Blue Beautiful World (I read on another reaction video in comments that there are 2 prior novels set in the same universe, so I may try to read them all). I do plan to read both long lists eventually this year, at least to give me more insight for future years.

I DnFed the novel I was reading and began Western Lane today when I heard it made the long list. I'm also intrigued about Restless, Dolly Maunder and The Wren, The Wren (although a little nervous about how brutality of the poet father is described.)

The Blue, Beautiful World is a bit of a surprise and will be reading it soon.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I hope you like it!

Yay! I've been looking forward to the list and hearing what you thought. I haven't read any of the titles yet. I'm not really a fan of sci-fi so like you the Karen Lord book appeals least but I'm excited by the rest. I have a copy of Western Lane so I'll probably start with that one.

West Kirby bookshop is a fab indie bookshop. We love it.xx

I managed to get three correct in my predictions. And there's two that I almost put on my list and now I'm kicking myself because I didn't. 😂 There are 7 I hadn't heard of, and I also think this is the most regionally/ethnically diverse list the prize has ever had. There are a couple I'm not all that into, but overall I'm really excited about this list. Will try to read and review them all before the shortlist is announced. 😁 And hey, there are three Irish authors there for your Irish reading 😄 (But no, not Kate Grenville, she's Australian)

I'm excited by this list and, like you, am going to add The Wren, The Wren to the teetering March Pile of Possibilities. So many surprises and new-to-me authors/titles.

Hi Greg, When you said you didn't have access to The Wren, The Wren, I wondered if you have Libby, because just this morning I found the audiobook on Libby through my library. It was even available immediately vs. needing to be placed on hold. But there are so many other books I need to read and listen to first (otherwise I think I'd go for And Then She Fell first off this list).

Kate Grenville is Australian, I'm happy to see her on the list. I've read 4 of the list so far. Hoping to get hold of a few more though some are not available here yet. The list covers a lot of countries, which is exciting.

So many new authors and titles to explore! However, I’m about to read Armistead Maupin’s “Mona of the Manor” so everything else will have to wait. Thanks for this reaction video, Greg. By the way, Kate Grenville is Australian. I’ve placed a hold on her book at the library.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

Oops! Thank you for correcting me.

@MJ-in-Canada

3 ай бұрын

@@SupposedlyFunIt's hard to remember who's who and where they're from. I think I need a GPS.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

@@MJ-in-Canada Same! 😂

@MsPixieD

3 ай бұрын

OMG thank you so much! I didn't know there was another Tales of the City book! 💛💛💛

@MJ-in-Canada

3 ай бұрын

@@MsPixieDI found out about the new Armistead Maupin book from Greg, in a previous video. 😀

Hmm…listening to your description of And Then She Fell sounds like there may be some discussion of postpartum depression. Could be wrong but would be interested to find out. Thanks for sharing!

@alt9977

3 ай бұрын

It definitely is. I made it half through, but couldn't finish it.

I’m glad to see it’s not all the usual suspects kind of a nice change. I have Western Lane so I just need to read it. RiverEast, River West. The Wren The Wren, 8 Lives, Then She Fell. Those are are the ones I would like to get to eventually. I hope I live long enough to complete all my need to read

I hope to read brotherless night soon and Western lane too...if I do , will share my thoughts with you 😊

I have The Wren, The Wren on my list for this month and hope to get to Enter Ghost and Sailor Soldier soon. I did read and enjoy, with some reservations, Nightbloom

I’ve read none of these 😳 but Enter Ghosts and The Wren The Wren have been on my TBR for awhile. The 8 Lives one super intrigues me as do many others

I’ve only read The maiden which was right up my street. DNF’d Western Lane and have The Wren on hold at the library. Another couple I’m interested in but overall I’m not enthusiastic about the list although happy there’s so many debut authors

Slow on comments but now that I’ve read almost 1/2 of the longlist… Brotherless Night is my fave so far. And Then She Fell is wonderful but heart-wrenching. Not a thriller at all. Nightbloom is also wonderful. River East, River West is very good. I started out not being to sure about it but it won me over pretty quickly. I read Ordinary Human Failings in 1 sitting, but it is also not a thriller at all. Eight Lives of a Century-Old Trickster was a 3.5 star for me. I was bored by The Wren, The Wren & Enter Ghost.

No Anne Patchett. No Jesmyn Ward. No Alice McDermott. I am really disappointed that Julia 1984 is not on the list.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I don't feel terribly surprised that Ward isn't here given the somewhat chilly reception to Let Us Descend, but McDermott is a shock to me. And from comments, it sounds like a lot of people were rooting for Julia as well.

Everand has The Wren the Wren. I'm listening to it now. So far I'm intrigued

I read Ordinary Human Fallings.... There is almost no thriller aspect to it. I highly recommend you give it a chance. I loved her first book and this was amazing.

The Wren, The Wren is available in audio on Scrib’d.

I'm really interested in Enter Ghost and And Then She Fell. I'm surprised that The Dream Builders wasn't included.

I'm looking forward to The Maiden, DNFed River East, River West.

Surprised that Julia was omitted

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

A couple of other comments agree with you!

It looks like you can buy The Maiden in the US, but only from third-party vendors.

😂An example of why self-imposed book buying bans and read your shelves. Challenges fail. Several of these titles piqued my interest. I'm going to hold off and see what some of the favorites end up being. ❤

Thanks again Greg! Maybe the pub. date wasn’t right for 2024 but I’m disappointed that Eastbound by Maylis de Karengal didn’t make it. I loved it.

@mradcaqbdb

3 ай бұрын

I listened to Eastbound on Sunday and thought it was fantastic!

@TKTalksBooks

3 ай бұрын

Loved Eastbound

@59cubanita

3 ай бұрын

Maylis de Karengal is French and writes in French so Eastbound could not be nominated.

@susanneill7142

3 ай бұрын

Oh I thought it was an international prize.

@59cubanita

3 ай бұрын

@@susanneill7142 as long as it is written in English originally it is international.

I think it fell flat to a lot of people because most of the books are 'unknown' to most of our community, but I'm excited, it's a very diverse list and I'm super intrigued by many. Ha when you said there were no duds and I saw you hadn't mentioned The Blue, Beautiful World I was like 😬 I'm super intrigued by it, but I can see some just not jelling with it!

@kmaggs7804

3 ай бұрын

Me too, sounds enticing.

You have to leave some titles to pick up in Ireland. 😁

Efter ghost is good enough on its own, politics aside.

I have only heard of one of these books, The Wren The Wren, which I had from the library. It was not a bad book by any means, but really didn't catch my interest. I am so out of the loop!

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I think the jury definitely wanted to focus on new discoveries this year.

The Karen Lord book is third in a series. That will draw unfortunate negative reviews.

@kmaggs7804

3 ай бұрын

It can be a standalone. A little like Stout' s .

I read POD from last year's Women's Prize. I was disappointed in that book and I thought it didn't deserve to be on the short listed prize list. Frankly, I thought POD was just awful. I'd be interested in other opinions.

@ewelinanyckowska1993

3 ай бұрын

POD was DNF for me 😅and I also think it was awful...Also DNF-ed Glory because we were not a match. I enjoyed Bandit queens and some of books from 2023 prize are still on my TBR😊

Well, at least The Blue, Beautiful World has one thing going for it---it's not John Updike.

SQUEEE!

@MJ-in-Canada

3 ай бұрын

🤣

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

🤣

@mradcaqbdb

3 ай бұрын

Well, this is a quandary. When I watched the announcement video and then watched Simon and his mum do their reaction video, I was much more positive about this list. Simon and Louise were reading from the book jackets and those descriptions sounded different and better than what you just read. After watching their video, I ordered The Maiden from Blackwell’s. That’s a book I’ve been watching for quite awhile and has positive reviews from authors I like. I also reserved The Blue, Beautiful World from my library. Honestly, it sounded much better when they talked about it! I’ll still give it a try since I’m not paying for it. But could it be possible those are the worst blurbs ever that you read? There are some definite no books for me and surprisingly, two of them are Anne Enright and Kate Grenville’s (an Aussie) books. The suicide book was also a no and one or two others. But I went from being very positive about the list to being very blaah about it now. Nothing personal, 😅, just those blurbs! Good thing I have a ton of other books to read. I went to my local today thinking James was out today. It’s not out for another two weeks! No idea how I got so confused. But I left with two other books plus I’m picking up The Painter’s Daughters tomorrow. Plus the new Carys Davies book, Clear, should be in the mailbox tomorrow. Can’t wait for that one. I was thinking it had a shot at the Women’s Prize longlist.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

@@mradcaqbdb That's really interesting! The blurbs I read were from the Women's Prize website.

@mradcaqbdb

3 ай бұрын

@@SupposedlyFun And I guess they aren’t necessarily the same as what’s on each book jacket. Of course, there is definitely the chance that I wasn’t listening closely enough to what Simon and Louise were reading, but a lot of them sounded different. Who knows anymore? I usually start to warm up to some more books from the longlist as people start reading and reviewing them, so hopefully that will happen. But I don’t see this year’s Black Butterflies or Wandering Souls on this list - yet.

*Promo sm* 👉