Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction and the 2025 Women's Prize for Non-Fiction! The 2025 prize winners were announced at a ceremony in London on 12 June, marking the 30th year of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, which celebrates female creativity around the world, and the second year of the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction, which recognises excellence, originality and accessibility in narrative non-fiction written by women.
Winner of the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction
The Safekeep
Yael van der Wouden
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden is the 30th winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. This unsettling, tightly-plotted debut novel explores repressed desire and historical amnesia against the backdrop of the Netherlands post-WWII. The Safekeep is at once a highly-charged, claustrophobic drama played out between two deeply flawed characters, and a bold, insightful exploration of the emotional aftermath of trauma and complicity.
Chair of Judges Kit de Waal 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.'
Winner of the 2025 Women's Prize for Non-Fiction
The Story of a Heart
Rachel Clarke
The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke is the winner of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. Interweaving two intimate family stories, we meet nine-year old Kiera who dies following a catastrophic car accident and Max, also nine-years old, who faces imminent heart failure due to a viral infection. The Story of a Heart is a clear-sighted, vital exploration into the human experience behind organ donation. Inspiring, profoundly moving and insightful, it celebrates both an indefatigable respect for life, the generosity and tenacity of the human spirit and the sheer miracle of modern science.
Chair of Judges Kavita Puri said:
‘The Story of a Heart left a deep and long-lasting impression on us. Clarke’s writing is authoritative, beautiful and compassionate. The research is meticulous, and the story-telling is expertly crafted. She holds this precious story with great care and tells it with dignity, interweaving the history of transplant surgery seamlessly. This is a book where humanity shines through on every page, from the selfless act of the parents who gift their daughter’s heart in the depths of despair, to the dedication of the NHS workers. It is unforgettable, and will be read for many years to come.’
The Story of a Heart will be available in compact format from the 9th September and can be pre-ordered here.
Winner of the Women’s Prize Outstanding Contribution Award
Also announced this month was the recipient for the Women’s Prize Outstanding Contribution Award to Bernardine Evaristo. This award is a very special one-off to mark the 30th anniversary year of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. The award celebrates Bernardine’s body of work, her transformative impact on literature and her unwavering dedication to uplifting under-represented voices across the cultural landscape.
More information on the Women's Prize and the 2025 announcements can be found here, or you can rediscover the shortlists for the 2025 Fiction and Non-Fiction prizes here.
