I loved The Adventures of China Iron by the Argentinian writer Gabriela Cabezón Cámara (translated by Iona Macintyre and Fiona Mackintosh), which was published by Charco Press in 2019. A brilliantly subversive retelling of the epic poem Martín Fierro by José Hernández, it was shortlisted for the 2020 International Booker Prize. Now, six years on, Charco have published her latest novel We Are Green and Trembling (translated by Robin Myers), a historical reimagining of one of South America's best-known trans men, Antonio de Erauso. I can’t wait to read it. Also published by Charco and at the top of my reading list this summer is Daniela Catrileo’s Chilco (translated by Jacob Edelstein), another title that revisits the history of South America, examining some of the brutal legacies of colonial repression.
Irene Solà’s When I Sing, Mountains Dance was one of my favourites reads of 2022, and her new novel I Gave You Eyes and You Looked Toward Darkness (Granta; translated by Mara Faye Lethem) delves into the consequences of making a pact with the devil. I was also a great fan of R. F. Kuang’s Babel, and her new underworld story Katabasis (Harper Voyager) sounds like the perfect read to relax with in the sun.
A new author for me this year is Juan Marsé, whose Last Evenings with Teresa (Mountain Leopard Press; translated by Nick Caistor) is about the struggles of the young generation growing up in the shadow of the Spanish Civil War. No list of summer reads would be complete without a good horror story, and this August my pick is The Midnight Shift by Cheon Seon-Ran (Bloomsbury; translated by Gene Png), described as “a fast-paced vampire murder mystery”. What more could you wish for?
From the publisher:
Translated by Robin MyersA sumptuous and surreal historical reimagining of one of South America’s best-known trans men, Antonio de ErausoThe new novel from the International Booker-shortlisted author of The Adventures of…
From the publisher:
Translated by Jacob EdelsteinA near-future tale about love, life, and friendship in a world that’s falling apart.Chilco is the name of Pascale’s home island. It is also the Mapudungun word for fuchsia: a word that…
From the publisher:
Translated by Mara Faye LethemAn earthy, bewitching and ferocious new novel by the author of When I Sing, Mountains DanceNestled among rugged mountains, in a remote part of Catalonia frequented by wolf hunters, bandits, deserters,…
From the publisher:
Translated by Nick Caistor‘Spain’s finest contemporary novelist’ Guardian‘Juan Marsé’s contribution to European fiction has been consistently remarkable’ Times Literary…
From the publisher:
Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek. The story of a hero's descent to the underworld.Grad student Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become the brightest mind in the field of analytic magick.But the only person who can make her dream come…
From the publisher:
Translated by Gene PngA bestseller in Korea, a biting, fast-paced vampire murder mystery exploring queer love and the consequences of loneliness.When four isolated elderly people die back-to-back at the same hospital by jumping out of the…
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