She Who Remains

Synopsis

Shortlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize, She Who Remains is set in a remote Albanian village where the ancient Kanun still governs daily life. Bekija, unable to claim the life she longs for, makes the extraordinary decision to become a sworn virgin, sacrificing her identity in exchange for the freedoms reserved for men. Her choice reverberates through her family and community, exposing the hidden costs of tradition, love, and survival.

Written in luminous, hypnotic prose, Renе Karabash's debut is both an intimate coming-of-age story and a profound exploration of gender, power, and belonging. Blending folklore, history, and psychological insight, She Who Remains is an unforgettable novel about the courage required to challenge the roles we inherit.

About the Author

Renе Karabash is a Bulgarian poet, novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and actor. Her debut novel, She Who Remains, received Bulgaria's prestigious Elias Canetti Literary Award and has been translated into more than a dozen languages. This English edition is translated by Izidora Angel, a Bulgarian-born writer and award-winning literary translator whose work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and PEN/Heim.

Publisher

Sandorf Passage

Publication Date

January 27, 2026

Format

Paperback

Pages

150

Subjects

Literary Fiction · Fiction in Translation · Bulgarian Literature · Queer Fiction · Feminist Fiction · Historical Fiction

ISBN

9789533515748