"This year's International Booker prize shortlisted titles are a diverse bunch, both geographically from Brazil to Taiwan and in style, from mainstream blockbuster to experimental jeu d'esprit. As in recent years, independent presses are rewarded for their efforts in promoting translated fiction, providing four of the six titles. And the campaign for proper recognition of translators is finally paying off: for the first time in the prize's 10-year history, all six books name the translator on the front cover."
"Shida Bazyar reminds us in her novel The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran (Scribe), translated by Ruth Martin, that the people of Iran are the victims of history many times over. The story comes from four members of an Iranian family over 30 years. In 1979, young Behzad greets the Islamic revolution that deposes the Shah, but his hopes for a communist utopia (a new Cuba) are thwarted."
"He and his wife, Nahid, flee to Germany: she takes over the story in 1989, followed by their daughter, Laleh, in 1999. Laleh visits Iran, amazed by the cultural differences from Germany. What she looks down on, they look up to I would never wear gold, no one wears gold, except here and also, people in Iran love Ricky Martin unironically."
"In 2009, Laleh's brother Mo hears about protests across the Middle East, and his excitement As soon as Ahmadinejad is gone, it'll kick off in Egypt, too [ ] and eventually all the dictators will be out is even more heartbreaking in the context of Iran today. A timely novel doesn't always deliver see last year's Small Boat but this novel's depth and empathy would make it a worthy winner any year."
This year’s shortlisted titles span multiple geographies, from Brazil to Taiwan, and a range of styles from mainstream fiction to experimental work. Independent presses receive strong representation, with four of the six titles coming from them, reflecting continued promotion of translated fiction. Translator recognition has expanded: for the first time in the prize’s 10-year history, every shortlisted book names the translator on the front cover. Shida Bazyar’s The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran follows an Iranian family across decades, moving from the 1979 revolution to life in Germany and later visits back to Iran, capturing shifting hopes and recurring harm. The Witch by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump, is presented as a deep French novel offering a distinct tone within the shortlist.
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