The Birdcage Archives

Friday 23 April 2021

The International Booker Prize Shortlist

Hello Gentle Reader
 
The International Booker Prize has announced this year’s shortlist. The six writers who have made it to this year’s shortlist are as follows: [in no particular order]
 
Maria Stepanova – Russia – “In Memory of Memory,”
David Diop – France – “At Night All Blood is Black,”
Mariana Enríquez – Argentina – “The Dangers of Smoking in Bed,”
Benjamín Labatut – Chile – “When We Cease to Understand the World,”
Olga Ravn – Denmark – “The Employees,”
Éric Vuillard – France – “The War of the Poor,”
 
The shortlist is one of both surprises, disappointments, and delights. It is not necessarily surprising to see Can Xue’s absence on the shortlist. She is extraordinarily experimental which often leads her making it to the longlist, but unfortunately for Can Xue this does not equate the shortlist. In this, Can Xue is once again the bridesmaid (if she is still part of the wedding party!) and has no chance of being courted as the bride. The omission of Can Xue is not entirely shocking, though it is disappointing. There truly is no writer working in the same capacity as Can Xue; so bold, daring, and extravagantly unconventional. One cannot help but admire Can Xue, but also see how alienating her work maybe for a literary prize.
 
More disappointing then Can Xue’s predictable (if albeit disappointing) omission is that Adania Shibli was also omitted from the shortlist with her novel:” Minor Detail.” It is not difficult to see why though. One-word Gentle Reader: Politics. “Minor Detail,” is by all accounts an extraordinarily political novel. Politics are a dirty business, and at times literature provides sobering perspective; however contrary and uncomfortable they may be. “Minor Detail,” is a novel that recounts the brutality that was exercised against the Palestinians in the 20th Century, by recounting the rape and murder of a Palestinian woman after the War of 1948, by Israeli soldiers. “Minor Detail,” is a sharply observed novel that unflinchingly examines the horrors of history, its censor and denial, to provide a social critique of an otherwise complicated geopolitical situation. The author herself, is noted for having a highly understated and lyrical style. Her short, beautiful novel: “Touch,” is a remarkable testament to this, as it too recounted a massacre’s lingering repercussions from the perspective of a little girl, who is more absorbed in her own world, then the one around her. Regardless of the novel’s merits, the discomfort of politics inevitably weights heavily on “Minor Detail,” and Adania Shibli. It would have been a daring choice, but worthy on merit.
 
Perhaps one of the biggest omissions from this year’s shortlist is Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and his epic novel in verse: “The perfect nine: the epic of Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi.” As a first for the International Booker Prize, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o is both the original author of the novel and the translator. His inclusion on the longlist was marked with jovial praise by readers and critics alike. After all Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o is one of the most celebrated writers heralding from the African continent, and is considered a giant on the international literary, rumored as a perennial candidate for the Nobel Prize for Literature. With an impressive literary resume behind him, coupled with critical acclaim and praise, the absence of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o is paradoxically surprising and predictable. Being considered one of the most cultural important and vital voices of contemporary and postcolonial African literature, there are expectations that Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o will be nominated and considered for a literary prize. On the contrary, however, to award the author because of their impressive reputation, critical acknowledgements, and literary achievements, will lead to the award being considered predictable and stagnant in its perspective. This is inevitably the situation that Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o faces when he is nominated and listed for a literary award. This years judges decided not to saunter down the road of predictability, and have omitted Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o from being inducted into this years shortlist.  
 
It is no surprise, however, to see Maria Stepanova on the shortlist with: “In Memory of Memory,” a unique blend of genealogy, memoir, and personal historical fiction. In Russia, Maria Stepanova has been praised as one of the most important younger writers working in the Russian language to date. The judges for this year’s International Booker Prize stated that they were drawn to writers who blurred the lines between fiction and nonfiction, meaning Maria Stepanova certainly took the cake on that account. Her novel “In Memory of Memory,” recounts her family’s history through the 20th Century, through photographs, diary entries, letters, and imagination. To deny Maria Stepanova a place on the shortlist would have been a mistake, one which the judges for this year’s prize would never hear the end of. Though as precedence through the years recounts, mistakes can be made, as in the case when neither: Annie Ernaux or Yōko Ogawa won the prize in which they were shortlisted for (2019 and 2020 respectively).
 
In continuing with the theme of writers shortlisted who blend both essay and fiction with their shortlisted work, one does not need to look any farther than Éric Vuillard and his novella: “The War of the Poor,” and Benjamín Labatut “When We Cease to Understand the World.” “The War of the Poor,” is a short novel that traces the historical account of the religious reformer and preacher, Thomas Muntzer, through the course of the Protestant Reclamation. “The War of the Poor,” recalls very contemporary topics of money, influence, power, and hypocrisy, and reflects them through the 16th century lens of Thomas Muntzer who revolted against class division. This parallels the continued and current class conflict that persists, leaving one to wonder if it has never ended, and only became more sophisticated; or perhaps more frighteningly so: more pacified. Benjamín Labatut on the flipside questions the path that was blazed to get us to our current societal position, in which case the author questions the scientific breakthroughs, and their ethical, moral, and philosophical dilemmas, as well as questionable acts. “When We Cease to Understand the World,” examines the lives and works of scientists throughout the 20th Century, and the achievements they have left on the world, and still influence it.
 
Both Mariana Enríquez and Olga Ravn explore tropes, themes, and settings usually populating genre fiction. Yet in turn, they exhume and expand on these tropes with a literary flare that explores the human condition. With “The Dangers of Smoking in Bed,” Mariana Enríquez employees both horror and gothic imagery to explore an otherwise complicated and violent history of Argentina; from homeless ghosts and witches, to abandoned children. In doing so Mariana Enríquez explores the trauma and tragedy of Argentinian history, and its lingering violent effects that ripple in to the present. Olga Ravn’s novel “The Employees,” is a novel set-in space that is framed by the witness statements of employees on a spaceship. The novel questions the notion of humanity, as well as the concept of identity in relation to programmed function and the sense of purpose, as it equates to meaning. The science fiction setting provides Ravn the basis to explore these themes and preoccupations within an environment free from the comparison to current sociopolitical influences, as well as breathing fresh perspective into themes that have otherwise already been established within the literary canon.
 
This leaves David Diop and his novel: “At Night All Blood is Black,” which is perhaps by all accounts the most ‘conventional,’ novel listed on this year’s shortlist. “At Night All Blood is Black,” is about two Senegalese soldiers who fight for France on the Western Front during the First World War. The novel explores themes of conflict, survival, friendship, and guilt; while bringing to light the overlooked elements of history, recalling the diverse impact and narrative history has, but is often denied showcasing because of the authors of the official version.
 
The International Booker Shortlist certainly has its hits and a few misses. The most promising and paramount author to watch on this year’s shortlist is of course: Maria Stepanova. There can be no denying that Maria Stepanova is perhaps the favoured writer to win this year’s International Booker Prize. An established sharp and brilliant writer in Russia, Maria Stepanova’s emergence in the English language is herald with a double debut with a book of prose and a collection of poetry. Despite being the favourite to win this years International Booker Prize, precedence states this may hinder the works chances of success; as in the case of Anne Ernaux in 2019 and Yōko Ogawa in 2020.
 
Congratulations to the writers who have been shortlisted for this year’s International Booker Prize.
 
Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
 
M. Mary

No comments:

Post a Comment