The Booker Prize is arguably one of the most significant literary accolades in the English-speaking world, a beacon that shines a light on fiction’s most compelling voices. For writers, making the longlist – the esteemed “Booker Dozen” – is a career-defining moment, a testament to months, if not years, of dedicated craft. This year, the 2025 longlist, unveiled on 29th July, has truly delivered a “wonderful heap” of novels, as described by this year’s chair of judges, the inimitable Roddy Doyle.
This year’s selection is a rich tapestry, featuring authors from four continents and nine countries, notable for its blend of experience and fresh perspective. We have one previous Booker winner, Kiran Desai, making a return, alongside two debut novelists, Ledia Xhoga and Maria Reva.
Claire Adam: Love Forms
Trinidad and Tobago native Claire Adam makes her second appearance in the literary spotlight with Love Forms. Her debut, Golden Child, won the Desmond Elliott Prize in 2019, marking her as a distinctive voice. In Love Forms, Adam delves into the profound emotional landscape of a woman grappling with the consequences of a decision made in her youth: giving up a child for adoption. Expect an intimate, profoundly human story that explores the enduring power of family and the paths not taken.
Tash Aw: The South
Malaysian author Tash Aw is no stranger to literary acclaim, having won the Whitbread Book Awards First Novel Award in 2005 for The Harmony Silk Factory. The South is the ambitious first instalment in a planned quartet, setting its narrative in 1990s Malaysia. Here, Aw expertly weaves the lives of two farming families against a backdrop of rapid modernisation and the nascent, yet increasingly urgent, threat of climate change. It’s a novel that promises to be both a sprawling family saga and a potent commentary on environmental and societal shifts.
Natasha Brown: Universality
British author Natasha Brown exploded onto the literary scene with her debut, Assembly, a Betty Trask Award winner. Her follow-up, Universality, is the shortest book on the longlist at a concise 156 pages, yet it packs a powerful punch. This highly stylised novel is described as a merciless satire of the contemporary media landscape, chronicling a viral long-read. Brown’s work is sharp, incisive, and unafraid to tackle pressing social themes with a minimalist, yet impactful, prose.
Jonathan Buckley: One Boat
With One Boat, Jonathan Buckley presents his thirteenth novel, showcasing a prolific and consistently inventive career. A British author, Buckley previously won the Novel Prize in 2022 for his book Tell. His latest offering takes readers on a philosophical journey to Greece, where a woman navigates her grief. It’s a novel that promises deep reflections on ethics, memory, and the very nature of thought, delivered with Buckley’s characteristic intellectual rigour and elegant prose.
Susan Choi: Flashlight
Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Susan Choi brings her formidable talent to the longlist with Flashlight. Choi’s ability to craft intricate narratives is well-established, and this novel is no exception. Flashlight illuminates the far-reaching effects of political upheaval on a family with deep roots in Korea, Japan, and the United States. It’s a testament to her skill that online communities are already hailing it as “amazing” and “probably the best book I’ve read this year.”
Kiran Desai: The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny
Perhaps the most anticipated return to the Booker stage, Kiran Desai is the sole previous winner on this year’s longlist, having won in 2006 for The Inheritance of Loss. After a nineteen-year hiatus, Desai returns with The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, a colossal 650-plus page epic. This vast novel is described as an intricate portrait of an interconnected world, painted with an exquisitely fine brush. Its sheer scope and Desai’s celebrated prose make it an undeniable frontrunner and a significant literary event.
Katie Kitamura: Audition
American author Katie Kitamura, whose novel Intimacies won France’s Prix Litteraire Lucien Barriere in 2023, brings her enigmatic style to the Booker longlist with Audition. This formally innovative novel employs contradictory narratives to explore themes of identity and perception, promising a thought-provoking and subtly unsettling reading experience. Readers have already been drawn into its “tricksy story,” sparking lively debates and interpretations.
Ben Markovits: The Rest of Our Lives
Former professional basketball player turned acclaimed author, American Ben Markovits previously won the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction in 2016. His latest, The Rest of Our Lives, is a poignant study of a father in the throes of a mid-life crisis as his children begin to leave home. Markovits excels at sensitive character studies, and this novel is poised to be a deeply resonant exploration of family, ageing, and the quiet shifts in personal identity.
Andrew Miller: The Land in Winter
British author Andrew Miller is celebrated for his atmospheric and deeply immersive historical fiction, having won the James Tait Black Prize for his 1997 novel, Ingenious Pain. In The Land in Winter, Miller transports readers to the UK’s “Big Freeze” of 1962-63, painting a vivid picture of two married couples in post-war England. His prose is praised for its ability to create a strong sense of place and to delve deep into the hearts of his characters, promising a rich and absorbing read.
Maria Reva: Endling
One of the two exciting debut novelists on the list, Canadian-Ukrainian author Maria Reva presents Endling, a novel that has captivated early readers. What begins as a “comic caper” takes a dramatic and profound turn as the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine “blows the book wide open,” forcing a re-evaluation of fiction’s purpose and the characters’ lives within it. Online forums have lauded it as “superb” and the “most interesting” book on the list, marking Reva as a powerful new voice.
David Szalay: Flesh
Hungarian-British author David Szalay, a Betty Trask Award winner for his debut in 2008, brings a truly unique offering with Flesh. This modern “everyman” story follows its central character, István, through a Hungarian childhood, military life, and on-the-make London. What sets it apart is its “unusual tactic” of “utterly refusing interiority,” keeping István’s inner life a mystery to the reader. This stylistic choice has been lauded as a genuinely new approach to fiction, making Flesh a compelling and innovative read.
Benjamin Wood: Seascraper
British author Benjamin Wood, who won France’s prix du roman Fnac in 2014, offers a quiet yet profoundly atmospheric novel in Seascraper. The book follows a young man who scrapes the seashore for shrimp in a changing England, using muted prose to evoke a powerful sense of place and the subtle shifts within both nature and human lives. It promises a contemplative and beautifully crafted narrative.
Ledia Xhoga: Misinterpretation
The second debut novelist to grace the longlist, Albanian-American Ledia Xhoga presents Misinterpretation. Xhoga, who previously found success as a playwright and won the 2024 New York City Book Award for outstanding debut author, brings her unique perspective to this portrait of an Albanian interpreter in New York. The novel delves into the complexities of translation, cultural duality, and the quiet burdens of compassion fatigue. It’s a timely and insightful exploration of language and identity in a globalised world.
The Power of the Booker
The Booker Prize longlist isn’t just a collection of great books; it’s a conversation starter, a literary compass, and a powerful platform for writers. For each of these thirteen authors, it represents not only a significant recognition of their craft but also a massive boost in readership and critical attention.
The judges – chaired by Roddy Doyle, and including Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Power, and Kiley Reid – have clearly prioritised narrative strength, compelling characters, and a willingness to engage with the complexities of our “shaky present.” Their dedication to unearthing a “wonderful heap” of diverse and thought-provoking fiction is evident.
What Comes Next?
While we celebrate these authors and their books, the Booker journey is far from over. The next date is Tuesday, 23rd September 2025, when the six-book shortlist will be announced at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London – a new public event for the prize. Then, the literary world will hold its breath until Monday, 10th November 2025, when the winner will be named at Old Billingsgate, London.
The Original Writers Group 