When the longlist for this year’s International Booker Prize was announced a few weeks back, the general reception was one of approval, and that goes for our Shadow Panel, too. After a slightly subpar longlist last year, it seemed the prize had returned to its strength of rewarding the finest in (translated) fiction, and I’ve certainly enjoyed my vicarious travels courtesy of this year’s choices (and thanks to the judges who selected them, of course).
However, the longlist is only the first leg of the journey, and there’s always the danger of an enjoyable longlist turning into a mediocre shortlist if the judges aren’t careful. So did the class of 2022 manage to avoid falling into that trap, or have they chosen some of the weaker longlisted efforts to move on to the next stage? Let’s find out by examining this year’s final six!
*****
Mieko Kawakami (Japan), Sam Bett & David Boyd
– Heaven (Picador)
Claudia Piñeiro (Argentina) & Frances Riddle
– Elena Knows (Charco Press)
Jon Fosse (Norway) & Damion Searls
– A New Name: Septology VI-VII (Fitzcarraldo Editions)
Geetanjali Shree (India) & Daisy Rockwell
– Tomb of Sand (Tilted Axis Press)
Olga Tokarczuk (Poland) & Jennifer Croft
– The Books of Jacob (Fitzcarraldo Editions)
Bora Chung (South Korea) & Anton Hur
– Cursed Bunny (Honford Star)
*****
My first reaction on seeing the six books chosen was positive, so I think we can congratulate the judges on navigating the tricky shortlist hurdle successfully! To be honest, there’s nothing on the list that I disagree with personally, even if the Mieko Kawakami and Olga Tokarczuk books probably would have just missed my own shortlist, but the mood in certain places close to home was slightly anti-Tokarczuk, with several people feeling that this wasn’t her best work.
Of the books that have missed out, the only one I’m really disappointed about is David Grossman’s More Than I Love My Life. In my review, I predicted that it would make the cut as it was a better follow-up to his winning book than Tokarczuk’s – obviously the official judges beg to differ. I’m a little surprised that Fernanda Melchor’s Paradais (review pending) didn’t make the cut, and there was also a fair bit of love out there for Happy Stories, Mostly (review pending) and Love in the Big City. Still, compared to last year’s fiasco, these are minor quibbles…
In terms of the publishers, Fitzcarraldo roll ominously onwards with two of their three longlisters, but it’s great to see Tilted Axis have one of their three choices make the last six. It’s the only one I’ve yet to read, but I’ve heard good things, and I’m looking forward to it immensely. Meanwhile, as someone who has read every Honford Star book, and watched their slightly stuttering start change direction into a successful relaunch, I’m thrilled that Cursed Bunny has made the cut – even more so after Anton Hur was kind enough to spend a couple of hours with the Shadow Panel last week, discussing his books, the competition and many more topics besides!
Of course, the next step for us is the Shadow Shortlist, which is traditionally fashionably late. This time around, we’ll be announcing our choices on Thursday, the 21st of April (i.e. two weeks today), and for once, I have the feeling that it’ll be very similar to the official list. However, a lot can happen in a couple of weeks, so you’ll have to wait to see which six books will survive to vie for our coveted Shadow Prize – do join us then 