Welcome to Litsy!

The International Booker Prize Shortlist has been announced today

I loved On the Calculation of Volume so very happy to see that on the list.

I‘ve read Perfection, liked but didn‘t love as everyone else

Just bought A Leopard-Skin Hat so hope I like that

I‘ve seen some great reviews for Small Boat so might want to give that a chance too

What do you think of the shortlist?

Technically, this is the first line of the first chapter, not the prologue, but… And I know it‘s late, but…
“Alexandra woke up a split second after her dark blue Skoda crossed the center line and drifted into the oncoming traffic.”

#InternationalBooker

This was good and frightening. A woman gets caught up in the 18th of November. Every morning she wakes up to the same day. She thinks of ways to escape and get on with her life. It is a quiet book, and somehow it felt believable. I do want to read part II!

#WeeklyForecast 14/25

I am about to start Somewhere Else of the #WP25 longlist. After that, I‘ll wait what books will be shortlisted and decide which ones to read. So far I am preferring the #InternationalBooker longlist over the #WP25 so I am having two more of that list lined up for this week!

VanderMeer and his Southern Reach series is a study in the surreal. This installment is the ‘prequel‘. We start a point that still has anchor between Area X and the ‘lost coast‘ (Florida area, I think). We start with spies and gators and the creeping distortions of another universe. We are then transitioned into the spear provoking the events of Annihilation and beyond. Excellent. Must read other books before to fully enjoy this one.

It's the zombie apocalypse, but it's also a poetic allegory of grief, loss, depression, issues of memory, consumerism, probably a few things I missed. Somehow it works.
Passed it on to the Spouse and he loved it so much he already wants to read it again (and he almost never re-reads). Once I return it to the library I'm going to have to buy a copy to keep.

Tara Selter is stuck in November 18. That is every day when she wakes up its 11/18 (or 18/11 🇬🇧) , and everything repeats itself - the rainy weather near Lille, France, the sky, and people who wake fresh to their first 11/18, with no memory of the previous 11/18s.

It‘s a very curious book, with terrific atmosphere and yet many unanswered questions. It‘s the kind of book that makes me want to try writing.

#booker #IB2025

My picks to read from the International Booker Prize 2025: the Dutch one: On a Woman‘s Madness by Astrid Roemer, and the Danish one: On the Calculation of Volume I.

#astridroemer #solvejballe #internationalbookerprize

This is the only book, so far, off the Booker International Longlist at my library. It was lyrical and propulsive although I‘m not sure I totally understand what was really going on. Even with the ambiguous ending I enjoyed it and am looking forward to Volume 2.

Reading the 2024 winner of the Ursula K Le Guin Prize. That's a strong opening!