Prophet Song: A Novel (Booker Prize Winner)

By Paul Lynch

WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023 - INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Winner of the 2024 Dayton Literary Peace Prize
Finalist for the 2024 Kirkus Prize
Shortlisted for the 2025 Dublin Literary Award

One of The Irish Times's 100 Best Books of the 21st Century

"A prophetic masterpiece." - Ron Charles, Washington Post

On a dark, wet evening in Dublin, scientist and mother-of-four Eilish Stack answers her front door to find two officers from Ireland's newly formed secret police on her step. They have arrived to interrogate her husband, a trade unionist.

Ireland is falling apart, caught in the grip of a government turning towards tyranny. As the life she knows and the ones she loves disappear before her eyes, Eilish must contend with the dystopian logic of her new, unraveling country. How far will she go to save her family? And what--or who--is she willing to leave behind?

The winner of the Booker Prize 2023 and a critically acclaimed national bestseller, Prophet Song presents a terrifying and shocking vision of a country sliding into authoritarianism and a deeply human portrait of a mother's fight to hold her family together.

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Published Dec 5, 2023

336 pages

Average rating: 7.39

216 RATINGS

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BOOK TALK

Community Reviews

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OBC
The group discussed the central themes, structure, and emotional impact of a novel set in a war zone, highlighting its intense style, ambiguous setting, and the challenges faced by the protagonist, with all agreeing on its relevance to current refugee issues.
Sophie Kraakevik
Sophie Kraakevik
6/10 stars
The beginning of the book is eerily similar to what has been going on the the US lately. I found parts of this book compelling but the writing style was not for me. The prose felt clumsy at times and it was hard to follow what was actually taking place vs what in the main character’s mind. 3.5 stars
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Lesley2864
Great book
TaniaReads
TaniaReads
10/10 stars
As brilliant as it is devastating. It’s painful to read and yet I want to re-read it.
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Lucymac
7/10 stars
Didn't enjy the prose style

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