When news broke that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie had received something called the Mermaid Award, it sounded almost mythical, like a title pulled from a fairytale rather than something literary. But behind the playful word is one of Europe’s most meaningful tributes to storytelling.
This award, presented by the Gothenburg Book Fair in Sweden, isn’t about fantasy or fiction alone. It celebrates writers whose words have deeply moved Swedish readers, and in 2025, that honour went to Chimamanda, a Nigerian author whose voice continues to go far beyond the pages of her books.
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What Is The Mermaid Award?
Inside the Gothenburg Book Fair
The Celebration
Chimamanda Just Got a Mermaid Award, But What Does That Even Mean? Read More
