At a ceremony in Beford Square Gardens in London on Friday 12th June, The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden won the 30th Women’s Prize for Fiction.
The novel boasts the interesting setting of The Netherlands post WW2 and explores repressed desire and how history is remembered. In their announcement, Kit de Waal, Chair of Judges for the prize, said:
‘The Safekeep is that rare thing: a masterful blend of history, suspense and historical authenticity. Every word is perfectly placed, page after page revealing an aspect of war and the Holocaust that has been, until now, mostly unexplored in fiction. It is also a love story with beautifully rendered intimate scenes written with delicacy and compelling eroticism. This astonishing debut is a classic in the making, a story to be loved and appreciated for generations to come. Books like this don’t come along every day.’
This is author Yael van der Wouden’s debut novel, but it was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2024, longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Wingate Prize, and the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. She has also recently finished the first draft of her second novel according to The Bookseller, which will definitely be one to look out for.
Other shortlisted titles for this years Women’s Fiction Prize were:
Katie Ginger writes contemporary romance as Annabel French and her latest book, The Floating Amsterdam Flower Shop will be available soon!
