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Misinterpretation
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
16 posts | 11 read | 1 reading | 7 to read
"Xhoga writes with sly, benign wit. Read this novel."--Tom Grimes
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review
Hanna-B
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
Pickpick

The theme of literal translation/interpretation is wonderfully interwoven with a myriad of ways that we misinterpret. The novel moves from tense to calm but with an underlying sense of fear and dislocation. There is also movement between dreams/nightmares and a dislocation from reality, that leaves you wondering what is actually happening. An impressive first novel and it‘s highly engaging/unputdownable.
#firstnovel #translation #bookerprize

Graywacke Yay. Love that you bonded this. I‘m definitely a fan. The whole tone and sense was enjoyable 1d
Hanna-B So well composed and tense. 1d
8 likes2 comments
review
charl08
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Pickpick

Hurray! Finally a #Booker25 longlist book I want to make the shortlist.

Thoughtful and relevant novel. After the last read, beyond glad that (unlike another longlisted novel I could mention) it didn't make me want to ask the narrator to Just Stop Already...

BarbaraBB Yes! I felt the same way! 2d
sarahbarnes Another good review of this one! 2d
DrSabrinaMoldenReads I love that phrase: “Just Stop Already”. It‘s a perfect description of the book I am reading now 2d
43 likes3 comments
quote
charl08
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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In front of us, someone was saying to their relative, 'You know who causes most of the traffic problems? Foreigners or returning immigrants like you. You stop when you're supposed to, give the other cars the right-of-way, allow crowds of pedestrians to cross the street.'

'We follow the rules, you mean?'

'Exactly. It causes confusion.'

The visiting immigrant became silent. He was finally home, he realised.

#Booker2025

Suet624 Are you enjoying the book? I‘m trying to figure out if I should read it. This quote you‘ve posted is intriguing. 3d
charl08 @Suet624 it's 👍👍👍 from me... 1d
37 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
BarbaraBB
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Pickpick

#BookerLonglist #5

Very elegantly written, I became engaged in the book immediately I enjoyed following the narrator‘s struggle to live in NYC while she‘s still strongly rooted in the Albania she left behind. Het empathy for other refugees jeopardizes her mental wellbeing as well as her closest relationships. She moves between this empathy and self-preservation and there seems no closure. An impressive read.

#ReadTheWorld2025 #27 #Albania

sarahbarnes Ah I see you liked it! 6d
BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes Yes! I did! And I think you will too but reviews are very mixed so I am not sure. And if you have a lot other unread books to read, I wouldn‘t put this one on top! 6d
GatheringBooks Love it! Albania! Nice. 🥰 6d
See All 7 Comments
squirrelbrain Glad you liked it! 5d
Graywacke I liked this one a great too. Nice to see this! 5d
LeeRHarry Good to hear you liked it. This is one of two on the longlist I have on my shelves. I think what initially drew me to this one was the theme of immigration and that sense of where do you call home. 5d
kspenmoll Great review! 3d
81 likes7 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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#FridayHappyReadingHour

Still drinking coffee at the start of the weekend. The day has flown by and tonight I‘m going to a gig on the beach an will drive home afterwards so no wine or reading for me later today! Cherishing the moment with this book that just turned very weird.

Tamra 😊 Enjoy your hour! 7d
Ruthiella Looks great! It‘s kinda neat to start my day off with your Friday night! 😅 7d
sarahbarnes Will be interested in your review of this one - I‘m not sure whether I want to read it. Have fun! 7d
See All 10 Comments
Aims42 What a fun sounding night awaits you!! I‘m also still drinking my coffee, it‘s 10:15 AM here. Cheers! ☕️🩷☕️ And have fun tonight!! 7d
mcctrish Sounds like a great Friday 7d
Cathythoughts Enjoy your evening on the beach Barbara. Books looks interesting, look forward to your review. 7d
squirrelbrain Have a wonderful time! ❤️ 6d
BarbaraBB @Ruthiella @Aims42 have to admit I started my night early 😉 (edited) 6d
BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes @Cathythoughts Reviews are very mixed. I am liking it a lot so far but supposedly everyone does during the first part 🤷🏻‍♀️ 6d
TheBookHippie Have fun!!! 6d
70 likes10 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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#WeeklyForecast 36/25

I am reading a short Japanese novel (Someone to Watch Over You) ad then am ready for another #Bookerlonglist book, the tagged. I also want to read the new Sarah Moss, that I bought because of @TrishB ‘s review.

squirrelbrain I loved Ripeness too! ❤️ 2w
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I must have missed your review. But now I‘m sure I‘ll love it too 2w
quietlycuriouskate Ooh, a new Sarah Moss! 😍 2w
BarbaraBB @quietlycuriouskate How nice is that?! 2w
55 likes4 comments
review
Graywacke
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Pickpick

My main memory of this book is of mushroom cookies. What a wonderful trippy scene. This book is international NY, where one character can‘t learn English because everyone around him speaks Albanian. It also builds a whole lot of wonderful mysterious sexualized tension with green eyes. Then shockingly dissipates it. She hasn‘t read her Checkhov. Anyway, a really fun mysterious novel that i enjoyed. #Booker no. 3
#Booker2025

BarbaraBB Very intriguing review! This will be my next Booker read. 3w
Graywacke @BarbaraBB oh, yay. I‘m curious what you will think. Enjoy! 3w
See All 6 Comments
squirrelbrain Great review! 3w
Hanna-B I really enjoyed too 2d
Graywacke @Hanna-B hi. Yay! I like it more over time. 2d
61 likes6 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Mehso-so

#BookerLonglist
In the beginning, I was hooked! Loved the commentary on interpreting and words, appreciated the immigrant experience and differences between the MC and her husband. But then towards the middle it was difficult for me to stay involved…was this purposeful? I lost interest instead of figuring out where Xhoga was taking us. And that ending..not sure I fully grasped that. But that cover is striking!

ChaoticMissAdventures I feel like this is the theme of this year's Booker, the beginning is great, the end not so much. 3w
BarbaraBB Looking forward to this one. 3w
squirrelbrain I agree, Chelsea, this one started so well but finished rather flat. And I agree with you too, Shawna @ChaoticMissAdventures , so many of the longlist books have the same issue. 🤷‍♀️ 3w
81 likes3 comments
blurb
Graywacke
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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I‘m 1/3 through my current read. So far it‘s elegant and complex and i‘m loving it, even if i need breaks.

#booker #Booker2025

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo
Hanna-B I couldn‘t stop reading it. Then moved straight onto Flesh which is insanely engaging and also confronting 2d
Graywacke @Hanna-B oh, Flesh. What a rush. It makes everything before and after better. Just puts us in a reading, thinking, open-minded zone. Loved it. 2d
53 likes3 comments
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ImperfectCJ
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this unsettling book full of people making cringey choices, although I'm not sure I totally understood it. If you're not a fan of ambiguous stories, this might not be your cup of tea.

Graywacke I‘m still working my way into it. Elegant beginning 1mo
55 likes1 comment
review
Mattsbookaday
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Pickpick

Misinterpretation, by Ledia Xhoga (2024)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Premise: An interpreter in New York‘s Albanian diaspora has her life complicated by her poor boundaries with her clients and friends.

Review: This Booker longlist title strikes a balance between being accessible and enigmatic that perfectly fits its themes. ⬇️

Mattsbookaday As much as I often roll my eyes at the ‘professional irony trope‘, I found this story of an interpreter who consistently misunderstands the world around her—her role, clients, friendships, and marriage—very successful. It‘s certainly uneven in places, but I definitely understand why it‘s received the awards buzz it has. 1mo
TheKidUpstairs Great review! Are you reading through the #BookerLonglist ? There's a number of Littens who are reading selections from the list and sharing reviews and discussing as we go, happy to add you to the tag list if you're interested in joining the discussion! 1mo
Mattsbookaday @TheKidUpstairs I am! Please do add me, though I‘m still new here and fill admit i don‘t know how that works ! 1mo
TheKidUpstairs Awesome! If you include the #BookerLonglist hashtag on your reviews, it'll help people find them. I'm out right now, but when I have a chance I'll tag everyone here so you can see a list of people you can tag in the comments of reviews. It's a really great group, some reading the whole list, some just picking and choosing selections, but everyone with great thoughts and ideas to share and discuss! 1mo
Graywacke @Mattsbookaday i‘m really happy to find another longlist reader! I‘m reading this book now. I‘ll tag on my reviews. (edited) 1mo
18 likes2 stack adds5 comments
blurb
ImperfectCJ
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Drowning my jealousy over my spouse's trip to London at the garden center and then audiogardening with the tagged. We rent and only have a few containers on our patio, so audiogardening doesn't take up a lot of time, so I'll have to find something else to distract me soon.

mcctrish Lego flowers ? 1mo
ImperfectCJ @mcctrish Hmm...more expensive but less likely to die under my care... Lego flowers might be a good next option! 1mo
AnnCrystal 🤩🌱💝. 1mo
50 likes3 comments
review
Jas16
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Mehso-so

The first of my #bookerlonglist library holds to come in and not an especially auspicious start. In the beginning I was hooked but then things went off the rails. There was too much going on and.then nothing was resolved leaving me wondering what I was going to take away from it all.

BarbaraBB I‘m in no hurry to read this one - unless it makes the shortlist! 1mo
squirrelbrain Pretty much my thoughts too! 1mo
Reggie I just got this on Libby. Not too excited now. lol 1mo
See All 10 Comments
sarahbarnes This seems to be the overall feeling on this one. Too bad. 1mo
Jas16 @sarahbarnes @squirrelbrain @Reggie @BarbaraBB I am disappointed because this sounded that something I would like. Ah well, onto the next. 1mo
Chelsea.Poole I just finished this and feel exactly the same as you. 3w
Hanna-B I really liked it 2d
Jas16 @Hanna-B I am so glad that you liked it more than I did. 2d
Hanna-B Have you read Flesh on the long list yet? I read half of it in one sitting straight after Misinterpretations 1d
Jas16 @Hanna-B I am still waiting on my library hold to come in. 1d
49 likes10 comments
review
squirrelbrain
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Pickpick

#bookerlonglist book 7

Another one that I wasn‘t overly enthusiastic about but I really liked the first part. The narrator is an Albanian translator in NYC who gets too involved with her clients, leading to misunderstandings with her husband, and even danger to herself.

I thought this would likely make my shortlist but then the final third got really confusing, with no loose ends tied up and too many unanswered questions.

A soft pick.

Jas16 I am about a third of way through this now. 1mo
Hooked_on_books I read this several months ago and it hasn‘t stuck at all 🤷🏼‍♀️ 1mo
ChaoticMissAdventures Too bad. This year's list has been rough! 1mo
70 likes3 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Pickpick

A multilingual Albanian woman is living in NYC, working as a translator and interpreter. Her marriage is in a rocky spot and she‘s such a passive person—she largely just lets things happen to her. There‘s a noirish plot line threaded through but otherwise not much really happens. I‘m not sure what I think of it, though I did enjoy reading it. I‘ll give it a low pick.

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 8mo
51 likes3 stack adds1 comment
review
janeycanuck
Misinterpretation | Ledia Xhoga
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Pickpick

This really hooked me early on but my interest kind of waned toward the end. Not sure if it was the book or me that was the problem. I did still enjoy it but it wasn‘t quite the page turner that it started as.

Hooked_on_books I just finished this last night and I‘m not really sure what to think of it. I think we‘re having the same response. 8mo
59 likes1 comment