After the failure that was last year's attempt to read the longlist of the Women's Prize for Fiction, this year I decided not to even attempt it. And yet the announcement of the shortlist last night (in rather delicious vine form on twitter), had me all of a flutter with desire to read the final six. It is after all, a pretty delicious shortlist.
Anyone else love that vine too?
Some thoughts on the list:
I bought The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt in the kindle sale after Christmas and have been meaning to get to it since then. But the hype and the sheer size of that beast has meant I've put it off and off. It does look brilliant though, and I can never resist a book that has art as a subject.
A Girl is a Half-formed Thing by Eimear McBride has been on my radar for yonks. I've groped it many a time in Waterstones and nearly bought it on several occasions but something has always stopped me. I think it's the stream of consciousness and experimental style. I've become lazy when it comes to experimenting with styles in recent months and I think this has always tipped over into the 'ain't nobody got time for that' bit of my brain. I'm going to pull it out. A book that is on that many prize lists has got to be worth something, surely.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri are the two books that I find the least appealing from the shortlist. There isn't a huge amount that's logical about my thinking so again I can't really articulate why I find these two in particular unappealing in comparison. Still, I have read many glowing reviews of both so it will be interesting to see if my illogical preconceptions hold up.
Let's all just take a minute to consider how I (being a person with fairly predictable reading habits) would feel about The Undertaking by Audrey Magee. I'll give you a hint - The Undertaking is set during war time. Yep - want to read, need to read, dying to read. It sounds dark, twisted and utterly thought-provoking.
The one that tops the list for me is Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. The hype around this book has felt almost subliminal - I know it's been there, but it's been so subtle I didn't realise how desperate I was to read it until I found it on sale on kindle (kindle sales are basically my crack). I'll be starting Burial Rites the minute I finish my current read.
Will you be reading the short list? Have you already read any or all of these?
I was quite surprised to see Burial Rites in the shortlist (and to not see The Luminaries for example). It's a very good book, but even though I have only read one from the list this year (yes I'm failing badly :/), I'm not sure if it'd made my own personal shortlist. I also bought The Goldfinch from Kindle sale and am waiting for a good moment to give it a go :)
ReplyDeleteAmericanah and The Lowland do seem interesting and I'm planning to read those. I can see how The Undertaking would certainly fall under your radar :)
The Goldfinch needs the perfect moment I think, for a book that big. I was surprised to not see The Luminaries there also, I'm interested to see whether how each of the shortlisted books compares to the Man Booker winner. It's quite refreshing all the same - I always kinda think that if it has one won, it doesn't need to win another.
DeleteTotally missed this announcement, I don't know how!
ReplyDeleteI am reading Burial Rites right now, and it is good. I started reading it from the library but then went to get my own copy because I knew I wanted to keep it. Americanah is very good too, but then I'm biased because I love Adichie.
And I have The Goldfinch checked out of the library now, with just over 2 weeks to go. I'm debating whether or not to make the effort to start it...
The surprise for me is that The Luminaries didn't make the short-list, to be honest.
I've just started Burial Rites now, too. I'm really impressed by the writing so far. Though I'm struggling to grasp the names!
DeleteIt seems that The Luminaries not being on the list is a surprise to many. It was to me too, though as I just wrote to Riv, it has already won one major prize.
I'm really excited that two from the Longlist I have on my shelves to read made it to the Shortlist! (Americanah & Burial Rites -- the third is The Luminaries, but that already won the Man Booker) I only say this because I'm really keen to read more award-winning &/or nominated books :)
ReplyDeleteI can't say anything in particular drew me to Americanah since I won it in a giveaway, but now that it's made the list Bailey's list, my interest has been significantly piqued. Can't wait to hear how you like Burial Rites!
*I should clarify that I got Americanah in a mystery box giveaway, so had no idea what I had won until it arrived -- I don't normally enter giveaways for books I know nothing about! lol
DeleteI usually avoid award-winning books (or at least have done in the past) but now, I'm intrigued by the fuss and they do usually turn out to be pretty good! Enjoy your reading :D I'm loving Burial Rites already!
DeleteI'm reading Americanah at the moment, which I'm enjoying, but the plot hasn't really got going yet. And other bloggers have raved about the Goldfinch, so no doubt I'll be getting a copy of that for myself once it's come out in paperback.
ReplyDeleteThere is something about Americanah that I find intimidating so it'll be good to set that fear aside and read it. I went for Kindle with The Goldfinch because of it's size!
DeleteI'm very conscious of not reading enough female authors. I need to do something about that....
ReplyDeleteI've already Burial Rites and I'd most like to get to The Goldfinch. I've had it on my kindle for a while and should really make time to read it :)
ReplyDelete