Rebecca Perry’s Historical Novel Claims Prestigious Waterstones Debut Award
Wildly original and moving reflection on history – Rebecca Perry has been celebrated as the recipient of the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, an honour bestowed upon her novel May We Feed The King. The announcement was made during a special evening ceremony held at Waterstones’ flagship store in London’s Piccadilly district on Thursday evening. Perry’s work emerged victorious from a competitive shortlist comprising six distinguished debut novels.
A Celebration of Literary Excellence
Bea Carvalho, who serves as Waterstones’ head of books, expressed the company’s enthusiasm regarding the announcement. She highlighted how the book’s distinctive qualities set it apart from its competitors on the shortlist.
“We are delighted to announce that Waterstones booksellers have named Rebecca Perry the winner of the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize.”
Carvalho continued by praising the novel’s narrative techniques and stylistic choices. She noted that the work demonstrated particular strength in its prose style and its unique approach to storytelling, which combined playfulness with an enigmatic quality that kept readers engaged throughout.
“From a shortlist of six stunning debuts, May We Feed the King stood out for its crisp, cool prose and its playfully enigmatic approach to storytelling.”
The head of books further elaborated on Perry’s literary talents, describing her as possessing a poet’s sensitivity to detail alongside a sharp wit. The novel explores complex themes including the elusive nature of memory and the weight of authority. Readers are invited to experience something akin to witnessing museum exhibits come alive as they follow the narrative journey.
“With a poet’s eye for detail and a keen sense of humour, Perry grapples with the slippery nature of memory and the burden of power. To read May We Feed the King is to creep behind the scenes of a museum and witness its exhibits come to life.”
The Author’s Vision
Rebecca Perry, who was born in London, brings considerable literary experience to this debut novel. Prior to May We Feed The King, she had already published two poetry collections titled Beauty/Beauty and Stone Fruit. Additionally, she contributed to the creative non-fiction genre with her work On Trampolining.
Reflecting on her novel’s creation, Perry explained her intentions regarding the historical fiction genre and her approach to narrating history. She sought to test the boundaries of what the genre could accomplish while exploring deeper human experiences.
“In writing this book, I wanted to press at the edges of both historical fiction as a genre, and how we narrate history, testing what gives and what holds.”
Perry further revealed that the novel examines themes of isolation and creative imagination. She was particularly interested in depicting what occurs when individuals resist societal expectations and refuse to submit to authoritarian structures.
“But I also wanted to explore the capacities of loneliness and imagination, and ultimately what happens when a person defies what is expected of them, refusing to step into the tyranny of power.”
Recognition and Future Prospects
As the prize winner, Perry receives £5,000 along with Waterstones’ commitment to supporting her ongoing writing career. The prize organizers have described the novel’s narrative as moving between two temporal settings: a contemporary curator and the medieval monarch whose chambers she is restoring.
The other novels on the shortlist included Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash, Honey In The Wound by Jiyoung Han, Under Water by Tara Menon, A Private Man by Stephanie Sy-Quia, and The Infamous Gilberts by Angela Tomaski.
This achievement adds to the growing list of Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize winners who have gone on to significant success. Last year’s recipient, Lucy Steeds, won for The Artist, which subsequently became Waterstones’ August Fiction Book Of The Month and was crowned Waterstones Book of the Year at the conclusion of 2025.
Carvalho concluded her announcement by expressing excitement about Perry’s future contributions to literature. She described the novel as a dream-like narrative rich with curiosity and nostalgia, serving as a heartfelt tribute to history and those who preserve it. The Waterstones team has indicated they are eager to see what Perry accomplishes in her subsequent works.
