novels in translation

No 378 Inhuman Resources by Pierre Lemaitre, translated by Sam Gordon

I read Pierre Lemaitre’s novel Blood Wedding last year and very much enjoyed it so was keen to read more of his work. Inhuman Resources doesn’t disappoint, featuring a perfectly paced plot, thrilling narrative and ingenious structure. Middle-aged Alain Delambre had a stellar career before he was made redundant from his job in HR. Four…

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, translated by Sarah Moses. Book 12 of #20booksofsummer21

No 418 Blood Wedding by Pierre Lemaitre, translated by Frank Wynne

Blood Wedding by Pierre Lemaitre (translated by the brilliant Frank Wynne) was my first experience with this celebrated French crime writer but it won’t be my last as Blood Wedding, a tale of obsession and revenge, is one of the best crime novels I’ve read in a long time, thanks to a thrilling plot and…

No 455 Sweet Days of Discipline by Fleur Jaeggy, translated by Tim Parks

I’m continuing Literature in Translation Week for Novellas in November with Sweet Days of Discipline by Swiss writer Fleur Jaeggy. Fleur Jaeggy’s short novel, beautifully translated from Italian (the language Jaeggy writes in) by Tim Parks is an atmospheric evocation of the cruelties and emotions rife in a boarding school in postwar Switzerland. The narrator,…

No 456 The Pigeon by Patrick Süskind, translated by John E Woods

It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything by Patrick Süskind. I’ve long been a fan of Perfume and I enjoyed his one man play The Double Bass, so I was keen to try more of his work. The Pigeon also covers two categories for my November reading – Novellas in November and German…

No 457 The Taiga Syndrome by Cristina Rivera Garza, translated by Suzanne Jill Levine & Aviva Kana

The Taiga Syndrome is a beguiling and dream-like novella exploring lost love and the wish to disappear. It is impossible to characterise but is part fairytale and part noir fiction, blending in magical elements to create a shimmering, slippery story. The Taiga Syndrome follows an unnamed ex-detective, tempted by one last job searching for a…

No 458 Chess by Stefan Zweig, translated by Anthea Bell

It’s Literature in Translation Week for Novellas in November and I’m kicking off with a fantastic short work by Stefan Zweig, which will also count towards German Literature Month! Chess (or Chess Story) is a masterpiece of short fiction, packing more into its slim pages than many novels. The story is narrated by an Austrian…

No 507 Now You’re One Of Us by Asa Nonami, translated by Michael Volek & Mitsuko Volek

The Shitos are a family of eight, spanning four generations and living under the one roof. When a young woman, Noriko, marries the Shito son Kazuhito, she is marrying more than just one man; she is marrying in to his family. Every family has its quirks, its particular way of doing things, but in…