The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson review – indie debut on the Women’s prize shortlist
The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson is a debut novel that vividly recounts a Caribbean childhood in 1960s Bradford. It addresses themes of poverty and systemic abuse while maintaining a sense of humor and vibrancy. The novel has earned a place on the Women’s prize shortlist for its compelling storytelling and rich character development.
- ▪Marcia Hutchinson's novel is inspired by her own difficult childhood in Bradford, where she was born to Jamaican parents.
- ▪The story features Mercy Hanson, who narrates her experiences from her mother's womb during a harsh winter.
- ▪The novel blends Jamaican patois and Yorkshire dialect, capturing the cultural nuances of Hutchinson's upbringing.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Sheer vivacity … Marcia Hutchinson. Photograph: Rik JundiView image in fullscreenSheer vivacity … Marcia Hutchinson. Photograph: Rik JundiFictionReviewThe Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson review – indie debut on the Women’s prize shortlistThis vivid story of a Caribbean childhood in 1960s Bradford does not stint on accounts of poverty and systemic abuse, yet is pungent with wit and colourCatherine TaylorThu 21 May 2026 04.00 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on Google‘I remember growing up and smelling lanolin everywhere and the wisps of wool just floating around,” debut novelist Marcia Hutchinson has said of her home city of Bradford, then a traditional Yorkshire mill town, where she was born to Jamaican parents in late 1962.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Guardian — Books.
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