The International Booker 2023 shortlist has been announced! Here are the 6 novels and there are some surprises I didn't expect to see. A new video is up on my YouTube channel discussing each book and my thoughts on the list.

I've read 3 of these so far and I'm looking forward to reading the rest. I'm thrilled that “Boulder” has been listed. This story of an independent soul's struggle with settling down and having a child raises so many meaningful questions about whether building a family necessitates subsuming your own identity. I'm not surprised “Time Shelter” has been listed as its perspective on memory and nostalgia is so unique. While I found the overall meaning of the book to be very powerful, I wish the characters and plot had more emotional impact.

I'm glad to see “Standing Heavy” and “Still Born” listed as well as I've heard great things and I'm glad to have an excuse to prioritise reading them. I'm curious about “Whale” but slightly cautious since I've heard such mixed things about it. But often it's the books which receive the most varied reviews that make the most interesting reading experiences. “The Gospel According to the New World” felt like it was more focused on the concept of a modern messiah than building an engaging story so it's a curious choice by the judges.

Now... where is “The Birthday Party”? It was my favourite from the longlist. A slow-build thrill with a deeper meaning. But that's the way it goes with book prizes. I'm sure there will be a lot more debate about what's listed and the content of all these varied and fascinating translated books of fiction.