August is dedicated to celebrating Women in Translation. Since 2022, I've been diving deeper into translated fiction, with many of the books I've read being authored by women. Whether you're aiming to challenge yourself with more reading this month or just seeking some translated lit recommendations, here are a few of my favourites.
Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin - An atmospheric short novel about a young woman who works in a tired guesthouse on the South/North Korean border and her encounter with a French tourist who arrives out of the blue.
Sagittarius by Natalia Ginzburg - A novella by one of my favourite Italian authors. Sagittarius follows a domineering mother who uproots her family to the suburbs and strikes a friendship with a mysterious lady named Scilla. She is a real gem of a writer, and this is a great introduction to her work.
Woman In The Purple Skirt by Natsuko Imamura - A quirky book follows our narrator, the woman in the yellow cardigan, who becomes quickly obsessed with the woman in the purple skirt. This is an interesting one that people either love or hate, and I lapped this one right up.
Carnality by Lina Wolff - I recommend this book all the time but this one is a banger. Translated from Swedish, our main protagonist wins a writing grant and moves to Madrid. On her first night, she meets a man who offers her a crazy story for a few nights accommodation. And it is a crazy story indeed.
Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami - A cute little novella about a young boy fascinated by the woman who works in the local connivence store.
Another Person by Kang Hwagil - an eerie campus novel with a mystery at the centre set in South Korea that focusses on the toxic culture of universities. This tackles some heavy subjects, so check out TW’s
The Secret Talker by Geling Yan - a short, twisty novel translated from Mandarin about a woman engaging in e-mailing a secret admirer. Small in length but packs a real punch.
Children Of Paradise by Camilla Grudova - One of my favourite books from 2023, Children of Paradise, is the tale of a group of young people who work at a rundown cinema. I think about this book a lot; it was gripping, and I’m really gutted I loaned this to someone and didn’t get it back. I would love to revisit it soon.
Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan - The endearing story of a young girl living in the south of France for the summer with her batchelor father. I’m due a re-read of this one—it is always one I recommend!
The Dangers of Smoking In Bed by Mariana Enríquez - One of my all-time favourite short story collections but be warned, these are unique but very graphic and gross.
Lullaby by Leïla Slimani - a gripping, slow-burn mystery that opens with us knowing the nanny has murdered the children she cares for.
People Like Them by Samira Sedira - Another similar book translated from French that starts with us knowing a man has murdered his next-door neighbours. The atmosphere and world-building in this were 10/10.