Yael van der Wouden Wins Women’s Prize for Fiction for “The Safekeep”
Dutch author Yael van der Wouden has been awarded this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction for her debut novel, The Safekeep. The judges praised the book as an “astonishing debut…a masterful blend of history, suspense, and historical authenticity.”
Set in 1960s Netherlands, the novel follows a reclusive woman whose brother’s girlfriend moves in for the summer. An unexpected connection blossoms between the two women, forming the heart of the story.
The Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction was awarded to Dr. Rachel Clarke for The Story of a Heart, a poignant exploration of two families impacted by organ donation.
Each winner received £30,000 at a London ceremony on Thursday.
Fiction judge Kit de Waal hailed The Safekeep as a “classic in the making,” predicting it will be “loved and appreciated for generations to come.” She described it as a unique work, stating, “Books like this don’t come along every day. Every word is perfectly placed, revealing an aspect of war and the Holocaust largely unexplored in fiction. It is also a compelling love story, beautifully rendered with intimacy and eroticism.”
The Story of a Heart centers on two families: the family of nine-year-old Kiera, who dies in a car accident, and nine-year-old Max, facing heart failure. The book movingly depicts the medical team’s dedication and the life-saving organ donation.
Non-fiction judge Kavita Puri said the book left a “deep and long-lasting impression,” praising Clarke’s “authoritative, beautiful, and compassionate writing,” and the “meticulous research and expertly crafted storytelling.” She highlighted the dignity and care with which Clarke tells this precious story, seamlessly weaving in the history of transplant surgery.
Dr. Clarke’s fourth book, The Story of a Heart, was adapted into an ITV series in 2024.
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