Three authors, Paul Harding, Paul Lynch, and Paul Murray, have been chosen as finalists for the Booker prize. They are currently the frontrunners according to bookmakers.

Betway’s betting odds show that Lynch’s book, Prophet Song, is the top choice to win with odds of 9/4. According to Betway spokesperson Chad Yeomans, the novel stands out by portraying a Dublin that has been destroyed by airstrikes, a government that is becoming tyrannical, and a family struggling with the choice of whether to stay or leave.

Ten years ago, this could have appeared as a far-off, negative situation, but with the current global conflicts, these types of stories have become common in today’s media. Therefore, Lynch’s Prophet Song holds great significance this year and is a reasonable favorite.

At the moment, Ladbrokes has Prophet Song and Harding’s book, This Other Eden, listed at odds of 11/4. According to Alex Apati from the company, all attention is focused on Sunday’s announcement and the current odds indicate a close competition between the two. Neither the traders nor the bettors are able to choose a clear favorite at this time.

Betway predicts that Harding, a Pulitzer prize-winner, is the top contender against Lynch with odds of 7/2. The novel This Other Eden takes inspiration from the real-life account of an island near Maine that was among the earliest integrated communities in the northeastern United States.

The two front-runners at William Hill are This Other Eden and The Bee Sting, a darkly humorous tale about an Irish family. Both have odds of 2/1. The Bee Sting, a hefty 643-page novel by Murray, has received high praise from numerous reviewers.

Sarah Bernstein’s Study for Obedience has odds of 5/1 at Ladbrokes and Betway, and 4/1 at William Hill. Chetna Maroo’s Western Lane has odds of 6/1 at William Hill and Ladbrokes, and 5/1 at Betway. Jonathan Escoffery’s If I Survive You has odds of 5/1 at Ladbrokes, 9/2 at Betway, and 8/1 at William Hill.

Yeomans stated that the writers chosen for this year’s shortlist are all new to the scene, offering a unique viewpoint without the influence of well-known and established authors. Notable authors who were not included on the longlist this year were Zadie Smith for her novel The Fraud and Barbara Kingsolver for Demon Copperhead.

In previous years, the top picks of bookmakers have been victorious, such as Damon Galgut’s The Promise being chosen as the frontrunner and winning in 2021. Similarly, in 2017, George Saunders’ Lincoln in the Bardo was the preferred choice among bookmakers and ultimately won, even though Ali Smith’s Autumn was outselling it.

The recipient of the £50,000 Booker award will be revealed during a ceremony in London on Sunday.

Source: theguardian.com