The Women's Prize Longlist: Read, Reading, Want to Read

A few weeks ago I blogged about finding my reader identity again (most recent check - under the kitchen sink) which got me thinking about how to go about that.  One thing I am chronically aware of is the "comfort zone" blanket of authors I have knitted around myself and my buying habits. This year I WILL unpick those stitches and stretch my foot (just one mind!) onto the cold wooden floor of new reading horizons. One way I plan on doing this is by reading texts that are on longlisted for literary prizes.  The first longlist of the year that I plan to crack is the Women's Prize for Fiction. Quite honestly, I can't wait.

Books I have already read from the list are:
"See What I Have Done" by Sarah Schmidt
"Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman
"Three Things About Elsie" by Joanna Cannon
"The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock" by Imogen Hermes Gowar

All of which I have thoroughly enjoyed on their own merits.

Currently I am reading "When I Hit You: Or, A Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife" by Meena Kandasamy.  This one I only started reading this morning and am about 20% through already. I am really appreciating the linguistic skills demonstrated by the author so far.

The other 11 I am definitely going to attempt to read aswell.  The ones I am most excited about are:
"The Ministry of Utmost Happiness" by Arundhati Roy
"Elmet" by Fiona Mozley
"Manhattan Beach" by Jennifer Egan
and "Sing, Unburied, Sing" by Jesmyn Ward


These are the ones I have heard good things about from readers who have similar tastes to my own.

The final 7 on the list all sound equally intriguing but I, as yet, have not heard as much about them. I definitely think there is a good variety of fiction to choose from on the list.  The issues covered are numerous.  If the 4 that I have already read are anything to go by then I am in for a real treat with the others.  So far the characters in each of the books have totally enthralled me.  I have such a soft spot for both Eleanor Oliphant and Flo Claybourne ("Three Things About Elsie") and really hope there are a few more big characters to get to know along the way.

This year's judges have a tough job ahead of them.