Nominees for the book award portray an "unstable truth"
Twenty novels have been selected for the prestigious German Book Prize in 2025, one of the most significant literary awards in the country. The longlist, comprising a diverse range of contemporary realities and literary styles, was chosen by a jury from 229 submissions published or soon to be published between October 2024 and September 2025.
Themes and Styles
The novels on the longlist reflect the precariousness and uncertainty of the current era, addressing questions such as "How did we get here?" and exploring their impact on individuals and society. Key thematic areas include migration, dystopian futures, absurdity, and the complexities of identity and belonging. The collection includes debut authors and established voices alike, using a mix of narrative techniques to entertain and unsettle readers.
Regarding styles, the longlist showcases a spectrum from classical narrative forms to experimental approaches like tapestries of speech and unruly lists. The novels employ creative language and varied narrative perspectives, thus embracing both traditional and innovative literary techniques to reflect the complexity of present-day experience.
Notable Novels
Kathrin Bach'sLebensversicherung (Verlag Voland & Quist, Feb 2025) is a tragicomic family story set in the West German provinces of the 1990s.
Marko Dinić'sBuch der Gesichter (Paul Zsolnay Verlag, Aug 2025) uses surreal humor to mock Putin's propaganda about the Ukraine war.
Jehona Kicaj's debut novel, "e", has been awarded the literature prize of the city of Hannover (HANNA).
Nava Ebrahimi'sUnd Federn überall (Luchterhand Literaturverlag, Sept 2025) is a blend of serial storytelling and societal satire centered around a chicken slaughterhouse.
Jina Khayyer's debut novel, "Im Herzen der Katze" (Suhrkamp Verlag, July 2025), tells the story of growing up as a child of refugees from Kosovo.
Jacinta Nandi's novel, "Single Mom Supper Club", uses black, radical humor to highlight societal issues faced by single mothers.
Other authors on the longlist include well-known figures such as Feridun Zaimoglu, Nava Ebrahimi, and Peter Wawerzinek. Interestingly, six debuting women writers have directly made it onto the list with their first works, while other authors have been previously nominated for the prize.
The shortlist will be released on September 16, 2025, and the winner will be announced on October 13, 2025. Last year, the award went to Martina Hefter for her novel "Hey guten Morgen, wie geht es dir?".
Laura de Weck, the jury spokeswoman, stated that many authors on the longlist reflect on the present by looking to the past or the future. She described the longlist as bringing together 20 outstanding novels that reflect our shaky reality in all its diversity.
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