2023 International Booker Prize: Opening lines of the six shortlisted books

Leïla Slimani, chair of the 2023 International Booker Prize jury, announced this year’s shortlist of six books at the London Book Fair on Tuesday. “Subversive and sensual”, every book on the shortlist originates in a different country: Bulgaria, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Mexico, South Korea, and Spain. The shortlisted translators represent five countries – Brazil, Ireland, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Bulgarian and Catalan are two languages featuring for the first time on the shortlist. Two of the novels on the shortlist are debuts: Whale by Cheon Myeong-kwan, translated from the Korean by Chi-Young Kim; and Standing Heavy by GauZ’, translated from the French by Frank Wynne. On the other hand, 89-year-old Maryse Condés The Gospel According to the New World, translated from the French by Richard Philcox, is believed to be her final book. Condé is also the oldest author to ever be nominated for the Prize.

The winning title will be announced on May 23. The cash prize of £50,000 will be divided equally between the author and translator.

Here are the opening lines of the six shortlisted titles:

Still Born, Guadalupe Nettel, translated from the Spanish by Rosalind Harvey

A couple of weeks ago some new neighbours moved into the apartment next door. It’s a woman with a little boy who...

Read more