According to DW, Shaida Bazyar has received the prestigious award for the story of her family after they emigrated from Iran following the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The jury praises that Bazyar negotiated existential questions such as home and home loss, treason and civil courage, power and misuse of power.

Bazyar is originally from the Iranian Kurdish province of Ilam. Her novel previously won Ulla-Hahn-Autorenpreis and Das Debüt 2016.