Nigerian debut novelist among finalists for Women’s Prize

LONDON – Nigerian debut novelist Oyinkan Braithwaite and U.K. Booker Prize winner Anna Burns are among six finalists for the international Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Braithwaite is nominated for her darkly comic sibling story “My Sister, the Serial Killer,” and Burns for “Milkman,” set during Northern Ireland’s Troubles.

The list announced Monday includes two novels inspired by ancient Greek epics: “The Silence of the Girls” by Britain’s Pat Barker and “Circe” by U.S. author Madeline Miller.

Also nominated are two novels of family dramas and traumas: “Ordinary People” by Britain’s Diana Evans and “An American Marriage” by U.S. author Tayari Jones.

Founded in 1996, the 30,000 pound ($39,000) prize is open to female English-language writers from around the world.

The winner will be announced June 5 in London.