PARIS: The American writer Alice McDermott’s novel “The Ninth Hour” was awarded France’s Prix Femina for the best foreign novel of the year on Monday. “It’s astonishing, especially since it’s from a jury of women,” the author said upon receiving the news. “There were a lot of wonderful books on the list, so I was taken by surprise — pleasantly so.”

The prize is awarded to the best French and foreign novels, written by a man or woman.—AFP