Carys Davies has won the 2025 Wales Book of the Year award for her novel, Clear. The winner was revealed at a ceremony at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre, hosted by Literature Wales.
Davies receives a £4,000 prize and a trophy designed by the artist Angharad Pearce Jones. The book first won the Fiction Award before being named the overall English-language winner.
A Story of Two Strangers
Clear is set on a remote Scottish island in 1843. It tells the story of Ivar, the island’s only resident, who discovers a man washed up unconscious on the shore.
The stranger is John Ferguson, a minister sent to evict Ivar and prepare the land for sheep grazing. Unaware of his guest’s purpose, Ivar cares for him, and the two men form a bond without a shared language.
Carole Burns, speaking for the judges, explained their choice. “We all loved this book, for its story, for its ambition, for its sentences, for its relevance to our world today.” She added, “Excellence is always the only criteria, in the end, for a prize, and that’s true for this winning book.”
Welsh-Language Prize Awarded for Memoir
The overall Welsh-language Book of the Year was awarded to Iola Ynyr for Camu. Her book is a memoir told through a series of personal essays.
In Camu, Ynyr writes about reclaiming her memories after losing periods of her life to alcoholism and trauma. It is described as her attempt to trust that she is safe by telling her own story.
Category Winners for 2025
The Wales Book of the Year award is given in four categories for both English and Welsh-language titles. Each category winner receives £1,000.
English-Language Winners:
- Poetry Award: Girls etc by Rhian Elizabeth
- Creative Non-Fiction Award: Nightshade Mother: A Disentangling by Gwyneth Lewis
- Children & Young People Award: A History of My Weird by Chloe Heuch
- People’s Choice Award: Girls etc by Rhian Elizabeth
Welsh-Language Winners:
- Poetry Award: Rhuo ei distawrwydd hi by Meleri Davies
- Fiction Award: V + Fo by Gwenno Gwilym
- Children & Young People Award: Arwana Swtan a’r Sgodyn Od by Angie and Dyfan Roberts
- People’s Choice Prize: V + Fo by Gwenno Gwilym