Literary prize season is in full swing, and I've been trying to get my hands on as many nominated books as possible. Check out what I've read so far:

First up was No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood, from the Women's Prize longlist.



A powerful meditation on the value of human connection, poet Patricia Lockwood’s mordantly funny debut novel explores the pitfalls of social media in an entirely original fashion.

I really like what Patricia Lockwood is doing here, the way she writes about online culture, and there are plenty of great moments in No One Is Talking About This. It's not always the clearest or most coherent of books, but, especially in this particular moment, I think it's worth reading.

Next came A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa, from the Republic of Consciousness shortlist.



Effortlessly combining both ravishing style and intellectual substance, A Ghost in the Throat traces the passage of a real-life classic of Irish poetry across the centuries, affirming the connections that great art instils in those willing to listen.

A Ghost in the Throat sits in the grey area between fiction and non-fiction, which might partly explain why the story feels so real, but this is evidently also a credit to the writing. It was the protagonist's academic work that resounded with me the most, but I have no doubt that others will recognise themselves in other aspects of this story. I love the way our protagonist imagines the life of the Irish Gaelic poet Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill, weaving a story out of small details, and I imagine that Doireann Ní Ghríofa does something similar with her own story.

You can read my full review here.

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters came next, from the Women's Prize longlist.



Navigating the complicated waters of family-making and motherhood in the twenty-first century, this exciting and very funny debut follows the lives of three trans and cis women living in New York.

I've never read anything like Detransition, Baby before. I love the frankness with which Torrey Peters portrays her transgender characters; she makes so simple, even obvious, the realities of their lives, and I love that. There's so much depth to this story; so much to learn from, and to feel a part of. I'm thrilled that this one has made the Women's Prize longlist.

Next up was Luster by Raven Leilani, from the Women's Prize longlist and the Dylan Thomas Prize shortlist.



Audacious and provocative, Leilani’s firecracker of a debut charts Edie’s awkward slalom through modern life, from dead-end hook ups and crushed ambitions to a romantic liaison that has disaster written all over it.

I didn't actually know what the story was about, so the plot itself came as something of a surprise, especially considering how unusual the situation is that Edie finds herself in. For me, however, Luster was less about plot and more about characters. The world that Raven Leilani creates feels utterly real, and I love that her characters remain slightly inscrutable - like real people. That is not to say, however, that there is no plot. It was the progression of the story, driven by its characters, that kept me reading this one. I finished it in a day.

Nothing But Blue Sky by Kathleen MacMahon is another one from the Women's Prize longlist.



Dissecting the mechanics of a marriage with rich psychological insight, Nothing But Blue Sky finds a bereaved husband questioning the truth about the woman he thought he knew inside out.

This is a character-driven book, which nonetheless has a clear storyline, set against a vividly imagined backdrop, and peopled with realistic characters. These are all things I love in a book. I especially love the characters Kathleen MacMahon has created, and I was repeatedly able to recognise facets of myself and others I know in them. Nothing But Blue Sky is a somewhat slow book; one to spend time with rather than rush through, but it is also an engaging book, and definitely worth your time.

The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, from the Jhalak Prize shortlist, is my most recent nominated read.



An intoxicating coming-of-age tale set amidst the brutality of Idi Amin’s Uganda, The First Woman is a hymn to survival, rebellion and the enduring power of the female spirit.

What makes this story special is the way it blends the familiar and the unfamiliar. I love the way Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi writes about gender; the way she interrogates the myths and misconceptions that belong to her story's setting, but are still recognisable as part of our world today. I was a bit concerned about the length of this book, as I was looking for a shorter read, but the pages practically turned themselves.

There are still plenty of nominated books on my to-read list, so look out for a follow-up to this post!