The Booker Prize 2023 has been awarded to “Prophet Song,” a dystopian portrayal of Ireland grappling with totalitarianism, marking the first win for Irish author Paul Lynch at the prestigious fiction writing prize. Born in Limerick and currently residing in Dublin, Lynch expressed “immense pleasure” at bringing the Booker back to Ireland during the award ceremony at Old Billingsgate in London.
Set in Dublin, “Prophet Song” narrates the experiences of a family navigating a nightmarish new reality where democratic norms erode. Lynch revealed that the inspiration for the novel came from the Syrian war and refugee crisis, underscoring his desire to explore pressing global issues through his storytelling.
Addressing the audience, Lynch acknowledged that the novel was not an easy undertaking. Despite its resonance with recent events, he clarified that he is not a “political novelist,” and he had completed the book 18 months before the recent rioting and violence in Dublin. He expressed astonishment at the events and urged others to view them as a warning.
Receiving £50,000 as part of the prize of Booker Prize 2023 , Lynch humorously shared his intention to allocate some of the winnings toward his mortgage. “Prophet Song” is Lynch’s fifth novel, a project that consumed four years of his life. Notably, he began writing it just before the birth of his son, who learned to ride a bike by the time Lynch completed the book.
Head judge Esi Edugyan
Head judge Esi Edugyan emphasized the panel’s quest for a winning novel that could speak to the immediate moment while possessing the potential to endure beyond it. In these troubled times, the judges sought a novel with a guiding vision, one that reminds readers that they are more than themselves and prompts contemplation of what is worth preserving.
Before announcing the winner, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe shared her personal experience, highlighting the transformative power of novels during her detention in Iran. Reading novels from the prison’s secret library, she said, transported her to another world and significantly impacted her life.