The shortlist for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2026 has been revealed, featuring a novel described as "raw, visceral and beautiful" that spans nearly a century of Korean history and the profound impact of colonialism.
Among the contenders is Jiyoung Han’s Honey In The Wound, a powerful narrative tracing a gifted lineage of Korean women displaced across Asia by Japanese imperialism. The book explores how colonialism forces a family to transform in order to survive over 90 years.
