She Who Remains

Longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026

High in the Accursed Mountains, in a village ruled by the ancient laws of the Kanun, Bekija escapes an arranged marriage by becoming a sworn virgin, renouncing her womanhood to live as a man.

Her decision sets off a brutal chain of events, destroying her family and separating her from the one she loves the most.

Years later, as Bekija – now Matija – tells their story to a visiting journalist, long-buried truths come to light, along with the realization of all that might have been.