What Awards Has 'Girl Woman Other' Won?

I was absolutely blown away when I first read 'Girl, Woman, Other'—Bernardine Evaristo crafted something truly special with this novel. It scooped up the Booker Prize in 2019, making history as the first time the award was shared (with Margaret Atwood’s 'The Testaments'). The book also won the British Book Awards’ Fiction Book of the Year in 2020, and it was shortlisted for tons of other accolades like the Women’s Prize for Fiction. What I love about it is how Evaristo blends poetry and prose to tell these interconnected stories of Black British women. It’s not just the awards that make it shine—the way it captures voices often sidelined in literature is what stuck with me long after I finished reading. I’ve recommended this book to so many friends because it’s one of those rare works that feels both monumental and intimate. Beyond the Booker, it won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Fiction, highlighting its queer narratives. The novel’s structure—almost like a chorus of perspectives—keeps you hooked. Even if awards weren’t part of the conversation, I’d still rave about how it tackles identity, race, and womanhood with such warmth and wit. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to underline entire paragraphs.

I’ve read 'Girl, Woman, Other' multiple times, and while it’s fiction, it feels achingly real. Bernardine Evaristo crafts characters so vivid they could walk off the page—Amma’s radical theater struggles, Yazz’s Gen Z rebellion, Carole’s corporate climb from trauma. The book mirrors real Black British experiences, especially the intersections of race, gender, and class. Evaristo interviewed countless women for research, weaving their truths into these stories. The Windrush scandal references? Real. The microaggressions at elite schools? Real. It’s not biographical, but it’s a mosaic of lived realities. If you want raw authenticity, try 'Queenie' by Candice Carty-Williams next—it’s got similar vibes.

'Other Birds' has snagged some impressive accolades, and for good reason. It won the Southern Book Prize for Fiction, a testament to its rich, evocative storytelling that captures the essence of the South. The novel also earned the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction, celebrating its deep connection to Southern culture and its lyrical prose. Beyond regional honors, it was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, a huge deal in literary circles. The book’s magical realism and heartfelt exploration of found family resonated with critics and readers alike, making it a standout in contemporary fiction. Its awards reflect how it blends whimsy with profound emotional depth, a rare feat.

its awards are well-deserved. The collection snagged the Bard Fiction Prize in 2018, celebrating its bold blend of horror, fantasy, and queer narratives. It was also a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction—a huge deal given its unconventional structure. The Shirley Jackson Award for Best Collection went to it too, recognizing its mastery of psychological terror. Beyond trophies, it made the Kirkus Prize shortlist and landed on countless 'Best of' year-end lists from NPR to The Guardian. Critics praised its reinvention of Gothic tropes through feminist and LGBTQ+ lenses. The book’s eerie reimagining of 'The Green Ribbon' alone cemented its status as a modern classic. These accolades prove how Machado’s work reshapes literary horror with raw, poetic intensity.

I’ve read 'Girl Woman Other' three times, and each time I’m struck by how it nails intersectional feminism without preaching. The characters aren’t just symbols—they’re messy, real women whose struggles overlap in ways that feel authentic. Take Amma, a black lesbian playwright battling industry racism while her white feminist peers coast on privilege. Then there’s Carole, the investment banker who escaped poverty only to face microaggressions in elite spaces. The genius is in the details: how a Nigerian immigrant’s accent makes her 'less credible' to British colleagues, or how a non-binary character’s identity clashes with their working-class roots. Evaristo doesn’t just tick diversity boxes; she shows how race, class, and gender collide in daily life, from dating apps to corporate boardrooms. The narrative structure itself is intersectional—twelve interconnected stories proving no woman’s struggle exists in a vacuum.

I've read 'Girl Woman Other' multiple times, and what makes it a modern classic is how it captures twelve distinct voices with such raw authenticity. Evaristo's innovative style—no capital letters, minimal punctuation—creates this flowing, almost poetic rhythm that mirrors how real people think and speak. The book tackles intersectionality head-on, showing Black British women's lives across generations without sugarcoating their struggles or triumphs. It's the kind of storytelling that lingers; you remember Amma's radical theater ambitions, Carole's corporate climb, and Winsome's quiet rebellion long after finishing. The way it balances humor with heartbreak makes it universally relatable while staying fiercely specific to its characters' experiences. It doesn't just tell stories—it makes you feel them in your bones.