New Zealand author Eleanor Catton has won the Man Booker Prize for her second novel The Luminaries, an epic read that has been described as a ‘Kiwi Twin Peaks’ - an astrological mystery set in 1866 Hokitika. At 28, she is the youngest author to claim the prize (the previous youngest recipient of the award was Ben Okri who won aged 32 in 1991) and her book itself at 832 pages is the longest novel to win.

Her win is further recognition for the genre of historical fiction, following Hilary Mantel’s two Booker victories for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. (Not to mention, Hannah Kent’s Burial Rites.)

Eleanor Catton

Here is what reviewers are saying about the novel:

‘Readers should be prepared for their soul to be anatomised on an epic voyage that is nothing less than masterly.’ - Luke May, Readings Monthly
(Read Luke’s full review here.)

‘…dazzling work, luminous, vast … The Luminaries is a novel you pan, as if for gold, and the returns are huge.’ - Robert Macfarlane, Chair of the Man Booker Judges
(Read more comments from the judges here.)

‘Every sentence of this intriguing tale set on the wild west coast of southern New Zealand during the time of its goldrush is expertly written, every cliffhanger chapter-ending making us beg for the next to begin. The Luminaries has been perfectly constructed as the consummate literary page-turner.’ - Kirsty Gunn, The Guardian
(Read Kirsty’s full review here.)

There was plenty of tough competition this year with an amazing array of writers up for the prize: NoViolet Bulawayo (We Need New Names), Jhumpa Lahiri (The Lowland), Jim Crace (Harvest), Ruth Ozeki (A Tale for the Time Being) and Colm Tóibín (The Testament of Mary). A big congratulations to all shortlisted authors!

To celebrate the win, we’re offering