The judges broke the rules to declare them joint winners – and we’re so here for it.
Atwood, the author of The Handmaid’s Tale, won for her bestselling (and long-awaited) sequel The Testaments, and Evaristo won for her novel Girl, Woman, Other.
As well as breaking the rules, the winners also broke records. Atwood is the oldest author to win the prize at 79, and Evaristo is the first black woman to win since the prize was first awarded 50 years ago in 1969. About bloody time!
“I am the [only] black woman to win this prize. I hope that honour doesn’t last too long. I hope that other people come forward now,” Evaristo said.
“I would have thought that I would have been too elderly and I kind of don’t need the attention, so I’m very glad that you’re getting some,” Atwood added.
The prize is awarded to the author/s of the best novel written in English and published in the UK and Ireland in the past year, and the winners will share £50,000 [AUD$93,000] prize money. So well deserved.
In honour of the win, we’re all knocking off work early to dive into The Testaments and Girl, Woman, Other.
