Ali Smith’s ‘How to be Both’ named novel of the year at Costa Book Awards

LONDON – Scottish writer Ali Smith’s “How to be Both” has been named novel of the year at Britain’s Costa Book Awards.

The book, which interweaves the stories of a 15th-century artist and a modern teenager, was also a finalist for the 2014 Booker Prize.

The Costa prizes give 5,000 pounds ($7,600) each to winners in five categories: novel, first novel, biography, poetry and children’s book. One will win the 30,000 pound Book of the Year prize on Jan. 27.

Smith is up against first novelist Emma Healey’s mystery “Elizabeth is Missing”; Helen Macdonald’s memoir “H is for Hawk”; Jonathan Edwards’ poetry collection “My Family and Other Superheroes”; and Kate Saunders’ tale for young readers “Five Children on the Western Front.”

The awards are open to writers based in Britain and Ireland.