Booker Prize 2025 Shortlist Reaction | the human heart in conflict with itself

It's finally heeeere - the 2025 Booker Prize shortlist! And honestly? I think it's a pretty solid lineup. In this video, I'm diving into the controversial picks (The Rest of Our Lives), the misses that broke YouTube's collective heart (Endling, Seascraper), what the judges might be thinking, and the common threads running through this year's choices. This is rambly, riffy, and generally unpolished...a full-on off-the-cuff soliloquy now that I'm 100% locked into this year's Booker Prize chaos. Oh, and full disclosure: I'm feeling rather pleased with myself that my completely non-strategic "read the longer books first so you have less work later" strategy actually kinda, sorta paid off. xo, gg ✨ What’s your take on the shortlist? Do you think the judges nailed it—or missed big? Let’s chat in the comments. 📚 Subscribe for more bookish hot takes, wrap-ups, and prize season rambling. ☕ If your reading taste leans literary, funny-sad, or weirdly comforting, welcome! ________ ABOUT ME *** Instagram: @thereadcrumbs (bookish), @jgracegordon (life) Goodreads:   / grace-gordon   Storygraph: @jgrace_gordon Email: [email protected] that’s all folks. ________ 0:00 Intro 0:44 Initial thoughts in general 1:52 Initial thoughts on judges 2:13 Why some books (Endling) didn't make it 4:17 The relevance of the re-read 5:11 The books I've read 5:51 The Booker themes 7:30 MASCULINITY & Flesh 11:20 The case for The Rest of Our Lives 13:09 Quiet despair & the domestic interior 16:34 The human heart in conflict with itself 17:44 Closing thoughts on the shortlist picks 19:56 What I'm reading and bye! ________ #booktube #bookerprize #bookreview #bookrecommendations #books