Welcome

Joanna Miller is the author of The Eights, a novel about the first women to study alongside men at Oxford University in the shadow of the Great War.

SHORTLISTED The RSL Christopher Bland Prize 2026

SHORTLISTED East of England Book Awards 2025

LONGLISTED Historical Writers’ Assoc. Debut Crown 2025

WINNER Gladstone’s Library Writer in Residence 2025

WINNER The Berties 2025

NOMINATED Goodreads Choice Awards

NOMINATED She Reads Best of 2025 Awards

ABOUT THE BOOK

‘The Eights is an entertaining and moving imagining of four smart women dealing with the engrained misogyny of the time. I came to love and admire the four as if they were my sisters.'

― TRACY CHEVALIER, author of Girl With a Pearl Earring
‘A story about women taking their place in a man’s world, The Eights beautifully captures the power of friendship and love in the wake of extraordinary loss.'

― PIP WILLIAMS, author of The Dictionary of Lost Words
'My favourite read this year. The writing is wonderful, the subject fascinating and the storylines utterly absorbing... I loved everything about this book. It is just perfect.'

― JILL MANSELL, author of Rumour Has It
‘I so enjoyed The Eights and became completely involved in the lives of the four pioneering heroines whose friendship is the beating heart of the book.’

― CLARE CHAMBERS, author of Small Pleasures
‘I loved this story of the first women admitted to Oxford University - and its gorgeously written characters. Rooted strongly in time and place, this novel transports you.’

― JENNIE GODFREY, author of The List of Suspicious Things
'The Eights has heart, soul, intelligence and wit'

― MICK HERRON, author of Slow Horses
'Joanna Miller makes us care deeply about four young women who find themselves pioneers in a strange new world, trying to find a way forward in the aftermath of war. A thoroughly lovely debut.'

― JOANNA QUINN, author of The Whalebone Theatre
‘Totally immersive and captivating. This is a GLORIOUS debut and the struggles of these four women felt incredibly real. Impeccably researched and beautifully written. I ADORED it. One of my books of the year.’

― JULIE OWEN MOYLAN, author of That Green Eyed Girl
‘These women soon become friends through the page and make me fondly and nostalgically recall that feeling of pure hope, wonder and fear as one stands on the edge of adult life.'

― EMMA BARNETT, broadcaster and journalist
'I loved this book. A hugely entertaining and brilliant-written novel which gives us not one, not two but four incredible female characters to root for. Meticulously researched and impeccably crafted. An entirely delightful debut.'

― ANNA MAZZOLA, author of The Clockwork Girl
'An impeccably crafted novel about four women struggling for equality in the 1920s that still feels painfully relevant today. It encapsulates the power and beauty of female friendships and it will stay with me for a long time.'

― JOSIE FERGUSON, author of The Silence In Between
‘Engaging, warm and intelligent, this debut about the first women students at Oxford - their deep friendship, and all they must face - is a delight!’

― LUCY ATKINS, author of Magpie Lane
'A gorgeous, immersive leap into an extraordinary moment of women's history. I thought it was joyful and riveting.'

― LISSA EVANS, author of Old Baggage
'I loved the carefully crafted world and the focus on the abiding friendship between the four... It was moving, spirited and a lot of fun, much like the heroines of the novel.'

― ZOE SOMERVILLE, author of The Marsh House
'The Eights has all the hallmarks of a modern classic! Beautiful writing and superb characterisation evoking a hugely important time in our history which still resonates today. I adored this book.'

― CAROLE HAILEY, author of The Silence Project
'What I adored most was the life-affirming friendships ... The true strength of this novel is the realisation of how powerful female solidarity can be. A joyous anthem to friendship.'

― KATE THOMPSON, author of The Little Wartime Library
‘Charming, quietly devastating, the four young women at the heart of The Eights have stayed with me... A spellbinding, heartbreaking and utterly hopeful book.’

― CATHRYN KEMP, author of A Poisoner’s Tale
‘A gorgeous debut about the first female students at Oxford in 1920, and I utterly adored it. I know I’ll come back to this book in the future for guaranteed blissful reading.’

― NAOMI KELSEY, author of The Burnings
'The Eights is not only blissful escapism, it's also a beautifully wrought story of women’s rights, freedom, love and experience. I couldn’t put it down.'

― HARRIET EVANS, author of A Hopeless Romantic
'What an achievement! It felt so energising, fresh, important. I loved that the heart of the novel is female friendship, power, possibility. It's the sort of book one gives one's best friends.'

― SUSAN FLETCHER, author of Corrag
‘Witty and charming … an atmospheric testament to the power of friendship and the tenacious young women who led the charge for equality of opportunity.’

― JESSICA BULL, author of A Fortune Most Fatal
'A hugely atmospheric snapshot of Oxford at a momentous point in its history... Intriguing, clever and completely absorbing. The city itself was so cleverly drawn... I absolutely loved it.'

― CAROL ATHERTON, author of Reading Lessons

DISCOVER THE US EDITION

The Eights in the Press

‘Stellar. Richly imagined’ THE NEW YORK TIMES

‘Compelling’ THE WASHINGTON POST

‘Sparkling. Inspiring’ THE TIMES

‘Refreshing, gripping’ ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

‘Moving’ MAIL ON SUNDAY

‘Pure joy’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

‘Completely charming’ WOMAN AND HOME

‘An ode to sisterhood and fighting misogyny’ PRIMA

‘Smart and absorbing’ RED

‘Highly entertaining’ GRAZIA

‘Wonderfully engrossing’ COUNTRY LIFE

‘Heartfelt and engaging’ WOMAN’S WORLD

‘These women soon become your friends’ THE iPAPER

‘Highly recommended’ HISTORICAL NOVEL REVIEW

‘Engrossing. Memorable’ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Welcome

‘The Eights is an entertaining and moving imagining of four smart women dealing with the engrained misogyny of the time. I came to love and admire the four as if they were my sisters.'

‘A story about women taking their place in a man’s world, The Eights beautifully captures the power of friendship and love in the wake of extraordinary loss.'

'My favourite read this year. The writing is wonderful, the subject fascinating and the storylines utterly absorbing... I loved everything about this book. It is just perfect.'

‘I so enjoyed The Eights and became completely involved in the lives of the four pioneering heroines whose friendship is the beating heart of the book.’

‘I loved this story of the first women admitted to Oxford University - and its gorgeously written characters. Rooted strongly in time and place, this novel transports you.’

'The Eights has heart, soul, intelligence and wit'

'Joanna Miller makes us care deeply about four young women who find themselves pioneers in a strange new world, trying to find a way forward in the aftermath of war. A thoroughly lovely debut.'

‘Totally immersive and captivating. This is a GLORIOUS debut and the struggles of these four women felt incredibly real. Impeccably researched and beautifully written. I ADORED it. One of my books of the year.’

‘These women soon become friends through the page and make me fondly and nostalgically recall that feeling of pure hope, wonder and fear as one stands on the edge of adult life.'

'I loved this book. A hugely entertaining and brilliant-written novel which gives us not one, not two but four incredible female characters to root for. Meticulously researched and impeccably crafted. An entirely delightful debut.'

'An impeccably crafted novel about four women struggling for equality in the 1920s that still feels painfully relevant today. It encapsulates the power and beauty of female friendships and it will stay with me for a long time.'

‘Engaging, warm and intelligent, this debut about the first women students at Oxford - their deep friendship, and all they must face - is a delight!’

'A gorgeous, immersive leap into an extraordinary moment of women's history. I thought it was joyful and riveting.'

'I loved the carefully crafted world and the focus on the abiding friendship between the four... It was moving, spirited and a lot of fun, much like the heroines of the novel.'

'The Eights has all the hallmarks of a modern classic! Beautiful writing and superb characterisation evoking a hugely important time in our history which still resonates today. I adored this book.'

'What I adored most was the life-affirming friendships ... The true strength of this novel is the realisation of how powerful female solidarity can be. A joyous anthem to friendship.'

‘Charming, quietly devastating, the four young women at the heart of The Eights have stayed with me... A spellbinding, heartbreaking and utterly hopeful book.’

‘A gorgeous debut about the first female students at Oxford in 1920, and I utterly adored it. I know I’ll come back to this book in the future for guaranteed blissful reading.’

'The Eights is not only blissful escapism, it's also a beautifully wrought story of women’s rights, freedom, love and experience. I couldn’t put it down.'

'What an achievement! It felt so energising, fresh, important. I loved that the heart of the novel is female friendship, power, possibility. It's the sort of book one gives one's best friends.'

‘Witty and charming … an atmospheric testament to the power of friendship and the tenacious young women who led the charge for equality of opportunity.’

'A hugely atmospheric snapshot of Oxford at a momentous point in its history... Intriguing, clever and completely absorbing. The city itself was so cleverly drawn... I absolutely loved it.'

The Eights in the Press

JOANNA MILLER