Rebecca Ley won the 2018 Not the Booker Prize for her novel Sweet Fruit, Sour Land. The Guardian reported that the three judges "have taken the brave decision to overrule the public vote and put their weight behind this dark dystopian novel in the place of Ariel Kahn's optimistic and gentle Raising Sparks."
The judges praised the "stark poetry and sincerity" of Ley's novel, which also "rewarded rereading more than others on the list."
The Guardian's Sam Jordison noted that while the winner wasn't his favorite, "that makes this choice so much the better and so much the more interesting. The judges weren't swayed by my opinions or suggestions about other books and were absolutely solid in their decision. It surprised me--but again, I'm taking that as a positive. It's great that the Not the Booker still has the ability to spring something new and unexpected 10 years into its run. Clearly, we have a worthy winner. Many congratulations to Rebecca Ley."