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The 2023 Booker Prize Winner Announced

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Yesterday, it was announced that 2023’s Booker Prize winner was Irish writer Paul Lynch. His book that won, Prophet Song, is a Dublin-set dystopian novel in which a mother struggles with her country’s totalitarianism.

cover of Prophet Song by  Paul Lynch

On writing the book, Lynch said, “This was not an easy book to write. The rational part of me believed I was dooming my career by writing this novel, though I had to write the book anyway. We do not have a choice in such matters.”

This year’s judging panel chair, Canadian writer Esi Edugyan, said the book is “a triumph of emotional storytelling, bracing and brave.” 

With the win comes a £50,000 ($63,000) cash prize, as well as a very likely boost in book sales.

To see the other books that made it to the longlist, check out our previous coverage.

Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.