‘A really good sign’: New Zealand book prize nominees distinguished by diversity

Mori women are represented in every category and two Mori writers are among the four shortlisted for the fiction prize

From an acerbic novel about queer Mori-Russian-Catalan siblings to a self-published portrait of 100 indigenous women, the books in line for New Zealand's top literature prizes are some of the most diverse yet, with Mori women represented in every category and emerging authors claiming their seat at the table of established writers.

Within that field of New Zealand writers, there is tremendous diversity of points of view, style and of experience," said Paula Morris, the spokesperson for the New Zealand Book Awards Trust.

A Good Winter by Gigi Fenster (Text Publishing)

Entanglement by Bryan Walpert (Mkaro Press)

Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

Kurangaituku by Whiti Hereaka (Huia Publishers)