Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022 shortlist is here – and it’s a diverse range of stories

Set in Trinidad, Allen-Agostini’s debut novel has a blazing feminist message and tells the story of Alethea Lopez, an unforgettable woman nearing 40 who is at the start of a new journey freeing herself from a violent and abusive relationship. It touches on themes of gendered violence, racism, and female liberation.

Sieghart praised The Bread the Devil Knead as being an “immersive novel” that is “full of warmth and humanity, humour and sadness”.

Described as an “unusual” book that’s “smart, witty and funny” by one of the judges, Lorraine Candy, The Sentence is Edrich’s 23rd novel, making her the most prolific writer on the shortlist. It combines contemporary events with a ghost story set in a Minneapolis bookshop. It’s a multifaceted novel that explores how history and heritage continue to shape modern-day.

It was no surprise to see Mason’s second novel shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction award. The title took the top spot in our guide to the best books of 2021 thanks to being an “exciting, funny, and thought-provoking novel”. It tells the story of 40-year-old Martha and her dysfunctional family, failed marriage and depression. While it “sounds like a truly awful misery read”, our writer noted that “it’s the funniest book of the year, with the most recognisable characters”.

You needn’t just take our word for it because judge Pandora Sykes praised it for being a “compassionate look at long-term mental illness and the ramifications on marriage and the entire family”. Sykes added that it’s “brilliantly spiky and hilariously written”.

This is “a deeply moving story of family, loss and love, and a provocative lesson in mindfulness and the art of mastering inner peace”, noted The Independent’s guide to five new books to read. It follows 13-year-old Benny Oh who starts hearing voices in his head after his father dies and explores how he learns to deal with it. Dorothy Koomson, one of the judges, said it’s “touching, humorous and beautiful in equal measure”.

Set in Cyprus, The Island of Missing Trees is told from the perspective of a fig tree and follows the lives of two teenagers, from opposite sides of a divided land, that meet in secret at a tavern.

Exploring the legacy of secrecy on future generations, it was praised by Dorothy Koomson, one of the judges, for being a “hauntingly beautiful tale” that touches on “loss and identity, love and redemption”.

Shafak has been longlisted twice before for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, but this is the first time she’s been shortlisted.

Shipstead spent seven years writing Great Circle, her third novel, and it’s sure to be worth the wait. It offers a thrilling story of the life of a fearless female aviator who disappeared in 1950 while attempting a north-to-south circumnavigation of the earth and an actor who portrays her on screen decades later. It’s a soaring novel that will undoubtedly grip you.

Anita Sethi, one of the judges, noted that it’s an “absolutely wonderful read”, adding that she’s not sure if she’s “reading anything so filled with the evocation of wanderlust”.