We are beyond thrilled to announce the 30th winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the second Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.
The 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction was won by Yael van der Wouden for The Safekeep: an unsettling, tightly-plotted debut novel which explores repressed desire and historical amnesia set against the backdrop of the Netherlands post-WWII.
The 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction was awarded to Dr Rachel Clarke for The Story of a Heart; a clear-sighted, vital exploration into the human experience behind organ donation.
Both winners were announced at a ceremony in Bedford Square Gardens, central London, hosted by Women’s Prizes Founder Director and writer, Kate Mosse CBE. As the winner of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction, sponsored by Audible and Baileys, Yael van der Wouden will receive a prize fund of £30,000, anonymously endowed, along with a limited-edition bronze statuette known as the ‘Bessie’, created and donated by the artist Grizel Niven. Winning the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction, sponsored by Findmypast, Dr Rachel Clarke will receive £30,000 and a limited-edition artwork known as the ‘Charlotte’, both gifted by the Charlotte Aitken Trust.
‘The Safekeep is that rare thing: a masterful blend of history, suspense and historical authenticity. Every word is perfectly placed, page after page revealing an aspect of war and the Holocaust that has been, until now, mostly unexplored in fiction. It is also a love story with beautifully rendered intimate scenes written with delicacy and compelling eroticism. This astonishing debut is a classic in the making, a story to be loved and appreciated for generations to come. Books like this don’t come along every day.’
Kit de Waal, Chair of Judges for The Women's Prize for Fiction
Kit de Waal was joined on the judging panel by novelist, journalist and inaugural winner of the 2006 Orange Award for New Writers (the Women’s Prize for debut novelists) Diana Evans; author, journalist and mental-health campaigner Bryony Gordon; magazine editor, most recently Editor-in-Chief of Glamour UK, Deborah Joseph; and musician and composer known for award-winning film scores, Amelia Warner.
‘The Story of a Heart left a deep and long-lasting impression on us. Clarke’s writing is authoritative, beautiful and compassionate. The research is meticulous, and the story-telling is expertly crafted. She holds this precious story with great care and tells it with dignity, interweaving the history of transplant surgery seamlessly. This is a book where humanity shines through on every page, from the selfless act of the parents who gift their daughter’s heart in the depths of despair, to the dedication of the NHS workers. It is unforgettable, and will be read for many years to come.’
Kavita Puri, Chair of Judges for the 2025 Women's Prize for Non-Fiction
Journalist, broadcaster and author Kavita Puri was joined on the judging panel by the writer and broadcaster Dr Leah Broad, whose work focuses on women’s cultural history; novelist and critic Elizabeth Buchan; writer and environmental academic Dr Elizabeth-Jane Burnett; and author and writer of The Hyphen newsletter on Substack, Emma Gannon.
Photography credit: Will Carne © Women’s Prize Trust
