Booker international shortlist my reaction

Here is the Shortlisted books

Not a River

Written by Selva Almada

Translated by Annie McDermott

I think this is one of my favourites to win it tackles being male in a tough world but also secrets and  set in the hinterlands,make it a wild ride.

Mater 2-10

Written by Hwang Sok-yong

Translated by Sora Kim-RussellYoungjae Josephine Bae

I have yet to review this, but I have read it as an insight into the political past of Korea through the lens of strikers in a rail strike. My review is to come shortly. He got the idea for the story from someone that he meet.

What I’d Rather Not Think About

Written by Jente Posthuma

Translated by Sarah Timmer Harvey

A sister looks back on her and her twin brother’s life as she tries to get to the heart of why he has taken his life and what brought him there and left her as the only twin.

Crooked Plow

Written by Itamar Vieira Junior

Translated by Johnny Lorenz

Twins the second book with twins this time twin sisters story told after they cut there tongues which lost there tongue and how do there lives and the world around them pan out after that event.

 

Kairos

Written by Jenny Erpenbeck

Translated by Michael Hofmann

A love affair falls apart as the country they arelibving in the Old East Germany falls apart partly based on the writers own life.

The Details

Written by Ia Genberg

Translated by Kira Josefsson

A woman remembers four relationships whilst in a fever in a fever dream state

Well I had picked

Karios

Not a river

Undiscovered

Lost on me

white nights

A dictator calls

The house on Via Gemito

Well as you see I have two books on the official shortlist. I feel one of these two will win the prize but I haven’t got much right this year. I feel this years list is aim at a young readership than me but has a great selection of autofiction , rural tales father figures and poverty all make the shortlist. I finished the last book off the longlist today and will have my reviews finished in the next week or two.