Flesh: WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2025

David Szalay's Flesh is a masterful work of literary fiction that has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2025 and hailed as one of the year's best novels by the Guardian, Observer, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail. Through spare, urgent prose, the novel examines the life of István, a shy fifteen-year-old in Hungary whose clandestine relationship with a married neighbour sets him on a precarious path. As he rises from the army to the super-rich elite of London, chance, luck and choice continually reshape his destiny in this compelling exploration of money, power, and intimacy.

Perfect for readers who appreciate psychologically rich storytelling, Flesh combines the sweep of a social novel with the emotional depth of a personal reckoning. Szalay's virtuosic economy of language and unflinching insight into the human condition make this a standout addition to contemporary literary fiction, joining the ranks of the most talked-about Booker Prize shortlisters. The novel captures the twenty-first century's tides of wealth and status with searing precision, ensuring its place among essential reading for fans of character-driven, elegantly constructed narratives.