Audrey Magee began her career as a journalist, writing for The Times, The Irish Times, The Observer and The Guardian, among others. Her second novel, The Colony (2022), was praised for its evocative prose and multifaceted portrayal of colonial practices. Set on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, it charts the clash between a French linguist and a London artist, who seek to preserve Irish cultural traditions and mock each other’s practices of mythologising the life on the island.

The lucky winners are: Rebekka  Wiemer, Nathan Gabbert, Lina Geneschen, and Annika Lauer.