David Szalay's novel Flesh, winner of the 2025 Booker Prize, has sparked a debate about masculinity in literature and society. The book's protagonist, István, utters the word “OK” some 500 times, reflecting a sparse prose style that offers little insight into his inner life. His story—a working-class eastern European man who commits violence, joins the army, and works security—has drawn attention for its portrayal of toxic male behaviour.
Szalay acknowledged the risk of his novel, noting that “there’s no longer that sense that boys will be boys” and expecting disapproval of his main character. Booker judge Chris Power described István's paths as “predominantly male or traditionally male,” linking the novel to broader concerns about a “crisis of masculinity” in 2025, including the rise of influencers like Andrew Tate and Netflix’s incel drama Adolescence.
The win comes amid questions about whether male novelists and themes are out of fashion. In April, Conduit Books launched to publish literary fiction by men, citing a perception that “the male voice is problematic.” However, the Booker longlist—featuring six men and seven women—and Szalay’s victory offered a counterargument. Critic Leo Robson suggested that a healthy debate about masculinity may make it easier to champion writers like Szalay who examine men in a “sceptical inquiring spirit.”
Other shortlisted male authors explored related themes: Ben Markovits’ The Rest of Our Lives deals with mid-life crisis, Benjamin Wood’s Seascraper follows a shrimp fisherman, and Andrew Miller’s The Land in Winter opens with a young man’s suicide. Power sees István as struggling with status anxiety and financial precarity, a “universal feeling” relevant to many younger people today.
