Authors Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie have their books, Exit West and Home Fire respectively, shortlisted for the 2019, International Dublin Literary Award.

The list was announced on Dublin Literary’s official Twitter and Shamsie also shared it on her Instagram.

Exit West and Home Fire have been nominated alongside eight others from across the world including Compass by Mathias Enard, History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund, Midwinter Break by Bernard MacLaverty, Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor, Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney, Idaho by Emily Ruskovich, Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders and A Boy in Winter by Rachel Seiffert.

Shamsie’s Home Fire talks about issues she faced in her own life, loyalty, grief, identity and belonging. The book revolves around Parvaiz, in the media unit of the Islamic State. Parvaiz is required to help an execution and told not to help a London girl trapped after an American bombing raid as she does not wear a veil. Kamila Shamsie has also shared that the book highlights her own struggles of wearing a hijab.

Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West is a story of two young people, Nadia and Saeed who meet when the country is on the brink of a civil war. Nadia is independent while Saeed is restrained. Both fall in love and get drawn away by the unrest. The couple finds a way to escape bomb blasts and decide to hop into an uncertain future, being each other’s only hope. Exit West is the story of love, courage and loyalty.

The winner of the award will be announced on 12th June, alongside a prize of €100,000 for the author of the winning book. If the winning book happens to be an English translation, €75,000 will be awarded to the author and €25,000 to the translator.