V. V. Ganeshananthan Named Winner of the 2024 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction

Carly Tagen-Dye
·2 min read
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The award is the largest English-language literary prize for women and non-binary authors

<p>Courtesy of The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, Sophia Mayrhofer</p> V.V. Ganeshananthan and the cover of

Courtesy of The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, Sophia Mayrhofer

V.V. Ganeshananthan and the cover of 'Brotherless Night'

The winner of the 2024 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction has been announced.

This year’s iteration of the prestigious literary prize was awarded to Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan, per a statement shared with PEOPLE. The winner was announced at a live event at The Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto, hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Natasha Trethewey. 

Ganeshananthan’s novel follows Sashi, 16, whose dreams of becoming a doctor are delayed by the civil war in her home country, Sri Lanka. Sashi escapes the turmoil by becoming a medic, but soon finds her beliefs challenged, leading her on a path toward human rights.

<p>Courtesy of The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction</p> 'Brotherless Night' by V V Ganeshananthan

Courtesy of The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction

'Brotherless Night' by V V Ganeshananthan

“An ambitious and beautifully written novel, Brotherless Night explores how ordinary people can be swept up in political violence and, despite their best efforts, eventually be swallowed by it,” the prize's Jury said, in a statement. “Through her sensitively crafted characters, V. V. Ganeshananthan asks us to consider how history is told, whom it serves, and the many truths it leaves out. A magnificent book.”

Related: Rebecca Makkai, C Pam Zhang Among 2024 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction Nominees — See the Longlist! (Exclusive)

Ganeshananthan is also the author of the 2008 novel Love Marriage, which was longlisted for the Women’s Prize. Her work has appeared in The New York Times and Granta, and she was formerly vice president of the South Asian Journalists Association.

The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction is the largest literary prize for women and non-binary authors in Canada and the United States. Created in 2020 in honor of author Carol Shields, the award grants $150,000 to its winner and $12,500 to each of its finalists, donated by BMO Financial Group.

<p>Sophia Mayrhofer</p> V. V. Ganeshananthan

Sophia Mayrhofer

V. V. Ganeshananthan

This year’s jury included Jen Sookfong Lee, Laila Lalami, Claire Messud, Dolen Perkins-Valdez and Eden Robinson. The four finalists for the prize were Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, Daughter by Claudia Dey, Coleman Hill by Kim Coleman Foote, and A History of Burning by Janika Oza.

Related: Kim Coleman Foote and V. V. Ganeshananthan Among Shortlist for 2024 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction (Exclusive)

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“This award is important because it drives progress and champions gender equity in the literary world," says BMO Chief Communications and Social Impact Officer Kimberley Goode, in a statement. "It also reflects BMO’s commitment to build a more inclusive society by supporting rich storytelling by diverse authors.”

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Read the original article on People.