Giller Prize 2025: Complete list of winners

Souvankham Thammavongsa’s Pick a Colour has claimed the 2025 Giller Prize, Canada’s most prestigious award for English-language fiction. The Scotiabank Giller Prize, which has championed Canadian literary excellence since 1994, continues its tradition of recognizing outstanding novels that resonate with both critics and readers. Thammavongsa’s win marks a significant moment in the awards landscape, celebrating a voice that brings fresh perspectives to Canadian letters.

Pick a Colour joins a distinguished lineage of Giller Prize winners known for their artistic ambition and cultural resonance. Thammavongsa, whose work often explores themes of displacement, identity, and resilience, brings her distinctive sensibility to fiction in a way that clearly impressed this year’s jury. The recognition underscores the Giller Prize’s commitment to amplifying diverse narratives within the Canadian literary canon while maintaining rigorous standards for literary craft.

As always, the 2025 Giller Prize shortlist reflects the vibrant state of contemporary Canadian fiction, showcasing the range and depth of talent working across the country. Below, you’ll find complete details about this year’s winner and the authors who rounded out the competition.

Fiction

• Pick a Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa