Giller Prize 2021: Complete list of winners

The 2021 Giller Prize has crowned Omar El Akkad’s What Strange Paradise as the year’s most distinguished work of Canadian fiction. El Akkad’s novel, a breathtaking story that weaves together the perspectives of a Syrian refugee boy and a jaded woman on a Greek island, represents exactly the kind of ambitious, emotionally resonant storytelling that has made the Giller Prize Canada’s most prestigious literary award. The recognition comes at a significant moment for El Akkad, whose previous novel American War garnered international acclaim, and this win solidifies his place among Canada’s most important contemporary writers.

The 2021 Giller Prize selection reflects a literary landscape increasingly attuned to stories that grapple with displacement, compassion, and the human cost of global crises. What Strange Paradise achieves something remarkable in its dual narrative structure—it avoids easy sentiment while still capturing the profound dignity and resilience of those caught in impossible circumstances. For readers following the Giller Prize winners year to year, this selection signals how Canada’s literary establishment continues to champion fiction that challenges readers while remaining deeply humane.

The Giller Prize, established in 1994 and one of Canada’s richest literary awards, has consistently elevated voices that might otherwise be overlooked, and El Akkad’s win demonstrates the prize’s ongoing commitment to recognizing bold, important fiction. Here are the full details of this year’s honorees.

Fiction

• What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad