Wolverhampton graduate, Abi Daré, wins first Climate Fiction Prize

The winner of the first ever Climate Fiction Prize has been announced as Nigerian author, Abi Daré.

The University of Wolverhampton law graduate has been awarded the inaugural prize for her novel, And So I Roar, a sequel to her bestselling debut, The Girl with the Louding Voice.

And So I Roar delves into the lives of rural women and girls in Nigeria, whose lives are impacted by environmental collapse.

Daré, who lives in Essex, said: “As a Black British-Nigerian woman, receiving this prize is a reminder that we do not need to wait for permission to step into global conversations or to contort our stories to fit a certain lens.”

The author won the prestigious £10,000 prize at a ceremony in London on Wednesday evening.

Author and judging chair Madeleine Bunting described the novel as: “A book of real energy and passion, which both horrifies and entertains with a cast of compelling characters, a story of how the climate crisis can provoke social crisis where often women and children are the victims.

“Despite the tragedy, Abi Daré holds faith in the strength of individuals and relationships, and her hopefulness leaves us inspired.”

The Climate Prize strives to celebrate the most inspiring novels tackling the climate crisis. On its official website, a spokesperson for the prize said: “We want to reward and showcase powerful stories that depict the human response to climate change, how it impacts us and how society responds.

“For societies to fully grasp the climate change threat and to embrace its solutions, we need better stories. It’s not enough for audiences to know about climate change, they need to see an uncertain future and understand that change is urgent but possible.

“Many of us already see tackling climate as important, but we don’t always know how we should respond. Fiction can help us imagine what change can look like.”

And So I Roar was one of five books to be shortlisted alongside The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, Briefly Very Beautiful by Roz Dineen, The Morningside by Téa Obreht and Orbital by Samantha Harvey – which won the 2024 Booker Prize.

Speaking of Daré’s win, David Wedge, the University of Wolverhampton’s head of alumni relations, said: “We are incredibly proud of Abi for winning this groundbreaking award. It’s a fantastic testament to her talent and the importance of her writing.”

Daré will also be a speaker at the University of Wolverhampton’s inclusivity conference, Authentic Allyship, on Thursday 12 June.