Literary fireworks lit up London yesterday as Rebecca Perry was announced the winner of the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize for her mesmerising novel, 'May We Feed the King'. This sumptuous literary feast has been cooking in the shadows of the UK's vibrant writing scene, leaving judges and readers alike clamouring for more.
'May We Feed the King' is a masterful fusion of two parallel storylines that will have you hooked from page one. A contemporary museum curator's passion project – breathing life into historical spaces – becomes an all-consuming obsession with the story of a reluctant medieval monarch, whose struggles to find purpose become eerily intertwined with our own.
As Melissa Harrison from The Guardian so aptly put it, this is "a highly wrought puzzle-box of a book which deliberately wrongfoots the reader at every turn". But don't be fooled – for those willing to take the leap, 'May We Feed the King' richly rewards with its crisp, cool prose and Perry's poet's eye for detail.
Bea Carvalho, head of books at Waterstones, hailed Perry as "an author generating significant excitement" in the literary world. With a keen sense of humour and an unflinching gaze into the human condition, Perry tackles themes of loneliness, imagination, and the weight of power with a fearless creativity.
This year's shortlist was stacked with talent, but Perry's win is the crowning glory – she'll receive a £5,000 prize, plus ongoing support from Waterstones to fuel her writing career. And what an accolade it is! The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize has quickly established itself as one of the most coveted awards in British literature, with past winners including Tess Gunty's 'The Rabbit Hutch' and Lucy Steeds' 'The Artist'. Perry joins their ranks, cementing her place among the UK's emerging literary stars.
The shortlist also featured Madeline Cash's 'Lost Lambs', Jiyoung Han's 'Honey in the Wound', Tara Menon's 'Under Water', Stephanie Sy-Quia's 'A Private Man', and Angela Tomaski's 'The Infamous Gilberts'. While these authors may have missed out on the top spot, they're all worth discovering – keep your eyes peeled for their next big move.