The ELLE Big Book Awards Longlist Is Here

This thriller starts with all its cards on the table: the crime (a nanny killing a baby) happens in the first line. So the story focuses on the parents; specifically the mother and her relationship with the nanny. Slimani's superb, lyrical writing dissects issues of class, prejudice and the guilt society puts on working mothers. It was a huge hit in France, where Slimani won the top literary prize, Prix Goncourt, and was even offered the role of Minister of Culture by President Macron (she declined). Now, its English translation is making waves on both sides of the Atlantic.

Natasha Devon's book is a great amalgamation of the continued dialogue around mental health: after nine months as the UK government's mental health tsar, and a lifetime living with mental illness, she shares essential advice in a clear A-Z format, illustrated by Insta-favourite Rubyetc. Wherever you are on the spectrum - because, as she says, "we all have a brain, and therefore a mental health" - you will learn and find useful ways to survive modern life, from anxiety around food to the internet.

This dystopian novel imagines a not-so-unbelievable world where abortion is outlawed, IVF is banned and the Personhood Amendment grants rights to life, property and liberty for embryos. Its central question is 'What is a woman for?' The story follows five women challenging the status quo. Even though Zumas wrote the book before Trump's inauguration, its publication this year has meant it's been hailed as one of the books of the moment.

Dubbed a "feminist Odyssey," there's so much to like about Circe. This story by the author of the much-loved The Song of Achilles gives Greek mythology a modern feminist twist, recasting Circe, the vilified witch infamous for turning Odysseus's men into pigs, in a sympathetic light. Subverting the usual masculine tropes of epic adventure narratives, Miller tells the story of the women who have been historically silenced. And on top of that, she makes Greek myths and culture, often perceived as impenetrable and intimidating, accessible. A real page-turner.

The latest book from Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project (a forum for women to share their experiences), sheds light on everything from sexual violence and harassment to objectification via (sigh) men getting offended and defensive about such conversations. In the era of #MeToo, Bates's work, collected from her op-ed columns, is more relevant and needed than ever. It's both illuminating and frustrating, and a rallying cry for women everywhere to speak up.

You won't be able to stop reading this visceral, unputdownable read about a girl named Peach, who is recovering from sexual assault and taking revenge into her own hands. It's about good and evil, violence and redemption. But it is also a book that explores the beauty of language. Lyrically and visually driven, it's no wonder Glass's influences include James Joyce, Gertrude Stein and Kate Bush - her sentences read like powerful poems. Her words are so emotive, you'll need to take a moment to catch your breath.

An intense story of female friendship set in Singapore, told by three women: oppressed teenager Suzi; her mother Amisa, a former cult film actress who now spends her days conducting fake seances; and Szu's school friend Circe (the name is trending). The story jumps between decades and perspectives: in 1970, Amisa is discovered by a film producer; in 2003, Szu and Circe's high-school life unfolds; and in 2020, social media consultant Circe, now estranged from Szu, is asked to work on a remake of Amisa's movie. An enthralling depiction of teenage years.

The unforgettable Sing, Unburied, Sing has made Ward the first woman to ever win the National Book Award twice, and it's no wonder. The author sheds light on the darker side of American life in a compassionate, insightful way that is not just informative but extremely readable; her characters linger in your mind months after encountering them. The story follows Jojo, a thirteen year old boy, the son of a black woman and a white man, and his troubled mother, Leonie. Ward reinvents the road novel and takes her characters on a literal and metaphorical escape through Mississippi as Jojo's farther is released from prison. A transcendent, necessary novel about race, love and history.

This extraordinary debut is an epic tale that follows three women from one Filipino family: Hero, a former guerrilla fighter back in the Philippines, who has been disowned by her rich parents and arrives in Milipitas, California to live with her uncle's family; Paz, her uncle's wife; and Roni, her younger cousin. It features a bisexual love story, amazing descriptions of food and music, and it will immerse you in a universe you will not want to leave. One of the big debuts of the year.