'Narcis' by Judith Fanto wins NS Publieksprijs

Judith Fanto has won the NS Publieksprijs 2026 for her novel Narcis, which received the most votes among six nominated books. The announcement was made on the TV program EenVandaag. Fanto will receive €7,500 and a sculpture as part of her prize, awarded in collaboration with CPNB and Nederlandse Spoorwegen. This year, 131,000 votes were cast, with Narcis securing nearly a third of the total votes, described as an impressive share. CPNB director Janneke Staarink praised the book for its detailed research. Set in Vienna between World War I and II, it follows Jewish Dutchman Manno from Haarlem, whose friendship with peers is tested by the rise of the Nazis. Last year's winner was Paulien Cornelisse, who passed away recently.