Sara Pascoe’s debut novel has won a literary prize handed out in honour of the late Jilly Cooper.
The comedian's book Weirdo scooped a new accolade named in honour of the Rivals and Riders author – who died last month at tiger age of 88 – at the Comedy Women In Print awards tonight.
Organisers said Pascoe’s novel was ‘a daring, candid look at a young woman lurching through life [that] combines comedic set pieces with real pathos – even when played for laughs. We know that Jilly [below] would approve.’
© Allan Warren, 1974, CC-by-SA 4.0
Meanwhile, Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis – about a queer Muslim academic deradicalising Isis brides was named best published novel.
Younis , and academic and former UN peace-building consultant, was unanimously declared winner by a panel of judges that included comedian Kerry Godliman, actor Ingrid Oliver and journalist Ranvir Singh.
Her book is described as ‘an hilarious and unflinching, modern British
novel which questions faith with razor-sharp humour, exploring sexuality and desire’
The runner-up was Holly Gramazio’s Husbands, a satire on the commitment-phobic Tinder generation.
Comic Helen Lederer, who founded the CWIP prizes, said: ‘What unites all these novels is that these are brave modern voices questioning key issues – marriage, religion, sexual desire, ageing, weirdness – with wit and warmth.
‘We meet flawed people trying to do good things to hilarious effect. No topic, it seems, is too dangerous to debate in female comic fiction. The confidence and daring is off the scale.
‘Eight years after I founded the prize, I never thought we’d have a hilarious winning novel about a queer Muslim academic deradicalising Isis brides. It truly feels like a contender for today’s [great] modern British novel. Proof, if any were needed, that intelligent audacious female writing wins out.’
Gavin and Stacey star Alison Steadman won the ‘witty impact' award and Tameka Empson won the ‘game-changer' award – both honorary accolades.
Natalie Willbe was named winner of the unpublished novel award, scooping her first publishing deal with Hera Books for Music For The Samosa Generation, which explores intergenerational relationships and how to balance love and duty. Runners-up were The Way of Nellie May by Rachel Sambrooks and Jeananne Craig for some news.
A Perfect Year by Ruth Foster – described as a ‘a brilliantly hilarious study of one-upmanship between a group of friends that plays with readers’ expectations’ – won the self-published category, awarded for the first time this year.
And the CWIP 'commendation for comedic culture’ went to Generation X by Dara Lutes.
