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The Miniaturist named Waterstones Book of the Year
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton has been named as the Waterstones Book of the Year.
Burton's debut novel, published by Picador, beat a shortlist that also included Man Booker Prize winner The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Samuel Johnson Prize winner H is for Hawk.
The book, set in 17th century Amsterdam, has already been promoted by Waterstones, appearing as its July fiction book of the month this summer. The chain is now selling an exclusive edition of the book.
Waterstones m.d. James Daunt said: "This is a first novel of vivid excitement and a thrilling discovery. From the moment of its publication in the summer it has fired the imagination of our booksellers and their customers. In a year of such exceptionally strong publishing, The Miniaturist has richly deserved its stunning success.”
Burton said: "It is a thrill, a pleasure and a true honour to be voted Waterstones’ Book of the Year 2014. It’s particularly special as the title was chosen by booksellers, and I am indebted to their passion for The Miniaturist and their desire to spread the word to readers. It’s all any writer could wish for. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Waterstones has played a large part in changing my life and I will always be grateful for this incredible award.”
The full shortlist was made up Richard Flanagan's The Narrow Road to the Deep North (Chatto & Windus); Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates (Simon & Schuster); The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories by Marina Keegan (Simon & Schuster); Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty (Harvard University Press) and Helen Macdonald's H is for Hawk (Jonathan Cape); alongside cookery title Persiana: Recipes from the Middle East & Beyond by Sabrina Ghayour (Mitchell Beazley). Children’s title Once Upon An Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers (Harper Collins Children’s Books) completed the list.
The shortlist was selected by Waterstones booksellers, with the final winner chosen by a Waterstones panel headed by Daunt. This year was the prize's largest shortlist, expanded from six to eight entries due to the year's "strength of publishing".
Last year's winner was Stoner by John Williams (Vintage).
