The Vivisectors (Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2026) - Missouri Williams

The Vivisectors

(Author: Missouri Williams)

Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2026 — A darkly beautiful, razor-sharp novel of icy suspense, dark academia, and ideological warfare from the acclaimed author of 'The Doloriad'.

"Genuinely experimental, relentlessly and rollickingly told." — Booker Prize Judges 2026

Set in a famed but crumbling university city overrun by wild vegetation—where power hangs in a fragile balance between elite academics and a rogue contingent of gardeners—Agathe spends her days listlessly propping up the career of her fraudulent professor boss.

When a explosive campus scandal erupts, Adam, a contrarian star student, enters a fierce conflict with a rising young professor, with both men accusing each other of discrimination. Instructed by her boss to gather intelligence by befriending Adam, Agathe is drawn deep into the escalating crisis. As the conflict threatens to tear the institution and city apart, Agathe finds herself increasingly mesmerized by the alluring student at the center of the storm—and forced to question if anyone can be trusted in a war over truth.

Blending gothic angularity, sharp satire, and an ecological fable, The Vivisectors delivers an unforgettable story for a broken era and a novel of blazing spiritual reckoning.

Key Features:

• Booker Prize 2026 Longlisted Novel: Recognized on the global literary stage for its bold vision and experimental storytelling.

• Dark Academia Meets Ecological Dystopia: Masterfully merges campus intrigue, fraud, ideological clash, and a decaying urban environment.

• Acclaimed Author: Written by Missouri Williams, author of The Doloriad, lauded by Booker winner Paul Lynch (Prophet Song) and Sophie Mackintosh.

• Must-Read Contemporary Literature: Perfect for fans of Ottessa Moshfegh, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Patricia Lockwood, and dark, satirical fiction.