Shortlisted for the Women’s prize, this story of a writer’s infatuation with an older woman begins with bracing verveRozie Kelly’s frank and feisty debut novel, which has been shortlisted for this year’s Women’s prize for fiction, begins with a case of lust at first sight. Our unnamed narrator is a “beautiful” 35-year-old writer in a complicated but loving relationship with the equally beautiful but somewhat boring Michael. The object of his attentions is a famous poet, 17 years his senior, running a popular course at the same university that he, in a minor way, is also attached to. He hardly knows her, but he knows that he wants “to be inside her”. It’s all a bit of a shock. “A woman! What was the world coming to?”So what’s so special about this one? Well, she’s smart, good-looking, well-dressed, not to mention rich and famous. It is this last fact that seems to exert, at least to begin with, the greatest hold over the infatuated narrator. “I wanted to be her, to be like her, to have her success and to know the people she knew.” But also, as he admits to himself as they sit quietly on a park bench watching the ducks, he would like to subjugate her, “to push her down, to render her imperious intelligence stupid with the weight of my body, with my younger, harder form”. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/may/28/kingfisher-by-rozie-kelly-review-lust-at-first-sight">Continue reading...</a>

تم ترشيح رواية 'كينغفيشر' للكاتبة روزي كيلي لجائزة النساء، حيث تقدم سردًا يركز على افتتان كاتب يبلغ من العمر 35 عامًا بشاعرة مشهورة تكبره بـ 17 عامًا. تتكشف القصة مع صراع الراوي مع مشاعره أثناء تنقله في علاقة معقدة مع شريكه، مايكل.

La novela debut de Rozie Kelly, 'Kingfisher', ha sido nominada para el premio Women’s, presentando una narrativa centrada en la intensa infatuación de un escritor de 35 años por una poeta famosa 17 años mayor que él. La historia se desarrolla con el narrador lidiando con sus sentimientos mientras navega por una relación complicada con su pareja, Michael.

Le premier roman de Rozie Kelly, 'Kingfisher', a été sélectionné pour le prix Femmes, présentant un récit centré sur l'infatuation intense d'un écrivain de 35 ans pour une poétesse célèbre de 17 ans son aînée. L'histoire se déroule avec le narrateur luttant contre ses sentiments tout en naviguant dans une relation compliquée avec son partenaire, Michael.

Rozie Kelly's debut novel, 'Kingfisher', has been shortlisted for the Women’s prize for fiction, presenting a narrative centered on a 35-year-old writer's intense infatuation with a famous poet 17 years her senior. The story unfolds with the narrator grappling with his feelings while navigating a complicated relationship with his partner, Michael.