2025 Booker Prize speculation

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I am publishing Saturday.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Mohamed - despite 78 other predictions and 143 different books - you managed to come up with three books that no one else has predicted. All of which seem good calls.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I am closing my compilation (now up to 81) Friday a bit over 47 hours in case anyone else wants to make a prediction.

[Jon]

My predictions!

Audition by Katie Kitamura
Endling by Maria Reva
The book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey
The book of records by Madeline Thien
Dusk by Robbie Arnott
We Pretty Pieces of Flesh by Colwill Brown
Edenglassie by Melissa Lucashenko
Days of Light by Megan Hunter
Helm by Sarah Hall
The Benefactors by Wendy Erskine
The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley
Muckle Flugga by Michael Pedersen
To Rest Our Minds and Bodies by Harriet Armstrong

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

That’s the only one of that list I have not read.

[victoria marie]

- Gloss by Kyra Wilder
- To Rest Our Minds and Bodies by Harriet Armstrong
- Endling by Maria Reva
- We Pretty Pieces of Flesh by Colwill Brown
- The Artist by Lucy Steeds
- Helm by Sarah Hall
- Audition by Katie Kitamura
- The Sisters by Jonas Hassen Khemiri
- Playworld by Adam Ross
- The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey
- The Imagined Life by Andrew Porter
- The Möbius Book by Catherine Lacey
- Gunk by Saba Sams

in no particular order—& most I haven’t read yet, especially unsure of the last two from friends’ comments, but a writer that I also like better in short form than long (Bullwinkel) was longlisted last year—so just some thoughts!

Alywnne, interesting re: the Armstrong!! I haven’t read it yet but been hearing such good things, so curious to read your review!

[Nicole D.]

I love Chidgey and I'd love to see her make the list, I'm just not sure if this book is the one. It will be interesting to see - a lot of people have put it on their list. I have been reluctant to talk about it much because I feel like everything on that book is a spoiler.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Everything in it is a copy of another very well known novel in my view

It’s currently 20th most tipped book.

[Nicole D.]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Everything in it is a copy of another very well known novel in my view

It’s currently 20th most tipped book."

exactly

[Cindy]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Everything in it is a copy of another very well known novel in my view

It’s currently 20th most tipped book."

Which very well known novel GY? It's not out in the US until September 9th.

[Rachel]

Cindy wrote: "Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Everything in it is a copy of another very well known novel in my view

It’s currently 20th most tipped book."

Which very well known novel GY? It's not out ..."

I think (view spoiler)[Never Let Me Go. (hide spoiler)]

edit to add spoiler tag!

[Henk]

Presumably (view spoiler)[Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (hide spoiler)], but even mentioning the specific novel will probably spoil already the twist which I presume from the descriptions I have read so far.

[Cindy]

Rachel wrote: "Cindy wrote: "Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Everything in it is a copy of another very well known novel in my view

It’s currently 20th most tipped book."

Which very well known novel GY?..."

Ah! Good to know.

[Cindy]

Henk wrote: "Presumably [spoilers removed], but even mentioning the specific novel will probably spoil already the twist which I presume from the descriptions I have read so far."

So I understand, but I will still definitely read this one when it's available.

[Frejola]

1. Flesh - David Szalay 🇬🇧
2. Our Evenings - Alan Hollinghurst 🇬🇧
3. Nesting - Roisin O'Donnell 🇮🇪
4. Spent - Alison Bechdel 🇺🇸
5. Endling - Maria Reva 🇨🇦
6. Nova Scotia House - Charlie Potter 🇬🇧
7. The Book of Records - Madeleine Thien 🇨🇦
8. Audition - Katie Kitamura 🇺🇸
9. Seascraper - Benjamin Wood 🇬🇧
10. Necessary Fiction - Eloghosa Osunde 🇳🇬
11. People Like Us - Jason Mott 🇺🇸
12. Theory&Practice - Michelle de Kretser 🇦🇺
13. Cloudless - Rupert Dastur 🇬🇧

I’ve decided to give it a go as well, dashed to buy my wishlist to read excerpts, looked at my friend’s opinions … perhaps leaning too UK? I’m sure I’ve underrepresented Ireland and the Indian subcontinent is entirely missing so this can’t be right.

[Stephen]

My predictions/wishlist (sticking to books I've already read)

1. Love Forms by Claire Adam
2. The Benefactors by Wendy Erskine
3. Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah
4. The Pretender by Jo Harkin
5. The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
6. The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller
7. Ripeness by Sarah Moss
8. Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell
9. Dream State by Eric Puchner
10. The Antidote by Karen Russell
11. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
12. The Time of the Child by Niall Williams
13. Seascraper by Benjamin Wood

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Thanks both. I think I am up to 94 predictions now.

[Rose]

Looking forward to seeing your list, Gumble!

[Paula]

Hi! Excuse me if this has been discussed already, I haven't been able to follow the discussions too closely this year - is The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck eligible? I see that there's a paperback coming from Swift Press in September, but the ebook was published in July last year.

[Rachel]

Paula wrote: "Hi! Excuse me if this has been discussed already, I haven't been able to follow the discussions too closely this year - is The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck eligible? I see that there's a paperb..."

It was removed from the Listopia for the reason you mentioned.

[Paul]

Though there has been at least one Booker longlisted novel recently that ought technically not to have been eligible on similar grounds.

[Lili]

Do the judges' “three words” narrow predictions down at all? "Multitudinous"?

https://bsky.app/profile/thebookerpri...

[Sam]

Lili wrote: "Do the judges' “three words” narrow predictions down at all? "Multitudinous"?"

Nice post Lili! Other interesting words spoken, "urgent,' "intimidating," "burden,"

[Chris]

Intimidating: I hope this signals a lengthy book or two.

[Ben]

‘Ambitious’, ‘surprising’ and ‘urgent’ makes me think of Endling. And the first word there also steers me towards books like Helm, The Book of Records, and Pan.

I suppose the thing to remember though is that they’ve been asked to describe the submissions, not the longlist!

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I am with Ben - it’s unfortunately the submissions.

[Sam]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "I am with Ben - it’s unfortunately the submissions."

If the judges are like me, all I would remember is the longlist.

[Sam]

I wonder if we'll be getting leaks this year. If I am recalling correctly, I have not seen posts by some of the best leak providers lately.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

According to the rules the publishers are not being told this year.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Last call for any predictions as closing my compilation tonight. Just over 100 predictions so far.

[Cindy]

Do predictions from The Times count?

The Party by Tessa Hadley
How has Tessa Hadley never won the Booker prize? She’s one of our very best homegrown authors – time for her to get the recognition she deserves.

What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
We haven’t got our hands on Ian McEwan’s new novel yet, but he’s a Booker prize veteran – we think he’s in with a decent shot.

Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst
Wasn’t this ages ago, we hear you cry. Well, yes, but Alan Hollinghurst’s latest is just within the boundaries for this year’s Booker.

Flesh by David Szalay
David Szalay has been shortlisted before, and we reckon Flesh is good enough to make the cut too.

Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
Johanna Thomas-Corr loved this book, and thinks Benjamin Wood is criminally underrated. Could this be his big year?

The Benefactors by Wendy Erskine
The Northern Irish author Wendy Erskine graduated from short stories to the novel this year – with aplomb.

Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Her first novel in over a decade, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Dream Count is epic – forget the longlist, this could make the shortlist, or even win the prize.

The Names by Florence Knapp
Moving, well written and (this could be its downfall) popular, Florence Knapp’s debut might just get a look-in.

The Boyhood of Cain by Michael Amherst
John Self adored this debut, comparing the author to JM Coetzee (who twice won the Booker).

Pan by Michael Clune
We know, we know – our review of Pan was, well, a pan. And we stand by that. But we fear the raves elsewhere just might turn the judges’ heads.

Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood
Another September release. Patricia Lockwood has already been shortlisted for the Booker – could she do it again?

Flashlight by Susan Choi
We didn’t review this one, but it’s received enough attention elsewhere to put it firmly in the running.

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
Kiran Desai won the Booker in 2006 for The Inheritance of Loss, and hasn’t written anything since. Could this new book, out in September, do the double?

And then, of course, there are the books we adored and would love to see on the list, but which we reckon will be overlooked. Our fantasy list would include Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis, Drayton and Mackenzie by Alexander Starritt, and The Boy from the Sea by Garrett Carr, but we think we’re unlikely to see them in the line-up. Booker judges, prove us wrong!

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

It definitely does. I might have thought they had collectively read a few more of the novels though!

[Cindy]

Has anyone else heard a rumor that there were over 200 submissions this year? Is that mathematically even possible?

[Nicholas]

11th hour list if not too late Gumble! Hoping it helps you get over 100 lists total. :)

Audition
Endling
Juice
The Book of Records
Theft
Beautyland
Open, Heaven
TonyInterruptor
A Room Above a Shop
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny
Saraswati
Deviants
The Tiny Things Are Heavier

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Brilliant thank you.

[Mohamed]

Cindy wrote: "Has anyone else heard a rumor that there were over 200 submissions this year? Is that mathematically even possible?"

I did not hear that yet. In the videos/interviews they were saying that they had to read around150 books. Mathematically that's possible, but I don't think that the judges would be able to read 200 books in 8 or 9 months

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Nicholas you have caused a 3 way tie for 13th place!!!

[Stephen]

Okay I'll play along.

Audition
The Book of Records
Saraswati
Flesh
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny
Helm
Nesting
Our Evenings
Endling
The Dream Hotel
The Imagined Life
Edenglassie
Mothers and Sons

[Nicholas]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Nicholas you have caused a 3 way tie for 13th place!!!"

Oh no! Hopefully you find another list that can break the tie.

[Cindy]

Mohamed wrote: "Cindy wrote: "Has anyone else heard a rumor that there were over 200 submissions this year? Is that mathematically even possible?"

I did not hear that yet. In the videos/interviews they were sayin..."

Agreed that it would be a heavy lift. Someone said that it was the largest number of submissions in Booker history and tossed out the number 200, but that seemed far-fetched to me.

[ANC]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Nicholas you have caused a 3 way tie for 13th place!!!"

Where will you be releasing the result of your compilation?

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Instagram as there where 2/3 of the predictions are from

Gygoldenreviewer

2PM UK of course to match the actual list

[Ruben]

3 days to go...this is usually the point where I pick up a very long novel that I will not finish and put aside as soon as the longlist is announced...

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny for me but I think I will complete it in time.

[Ruben]

Is it good? Probably has better chances than Fox...

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I need to see how it ends and process my thoughts.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMknAGyIJ...

(If that works)

[Rose]

Nice list. Although if The People are correct, I have 9 books to read, 4 of which aren't published here yet (3 of them I'm really excited about), and 3 that I previously abandoned but would try again.

[Will]

I missed the deadline, but for what it's worth, here's my wish list from the 50+ eligible books I have read:
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Mark Haber
Lisa Harding
Megan Hunter
Gurnaik Johal
Laila Lalami
Leila Mottley
David Park
Karen Russell
Rachel Seiffert
Niall Williams
+2 yet to be published/read

[Ben]

Thanks GY for assembling that list! I've read all but three of the top 13, so just started the Colwill Brown - blown away by the first quarter. Not sure how I missed this one given all the hype it's getting.