International Booker Prize Winner Reaction for 2023

We have a winner for the 2023 International Booker Prize! Here's my reaction and a quick look at the shortlisted titles that didn't win. Expand for more information. 👇

Links 💻

Further Viewing 🎥

The Winner 🥇
Time Shelter, Georgi Gospodinov (translated by Angela Rodel)

The Shortlist 📚
Still Born, Guadalupe Nettel (translated by Rosalind Harvey)
Standing Heavy. GauZ’ (translated by Frank Wynne)
The Gospel According to the New World, Maryse Condé (translated by Richard Philcox)
Whale, Cheon Myeong-kwan (translated by Chi-Young Kim)
Boulder, Eva Baltasar (translated by Julia Sanches)

#BookerPrize #InternationalBookerPrize

My husband made a cookbook! Check it out here:

But wait, there's more!

[BilyanaLRuseva]

Well deserved, Georgi Gospodinov!
Честит 24 май! Честит празник на българската духовност!

[janethansen]

Time Shelter is the only one of the shortlist I have read and it felt like a winner to me so I’m not surprised it won. It gets trickier as it goes on.

[guiltfree]

Since I haven't read any of them Boulder and Time Shelter would definitely be put on my TBR wish list. Thanks for your insight I really enjoy your videos.

[arlissbunny]

I actually loved the speech from the translator, Angela Rodel, both her quote from the book and the way she tied the conversation about meaning to the award itself. I thought it was moving.

For the Women’s Prize, Demon is fabulous but I’m with The Marriage Portrait. Maggie O’Farrell has done it again. Portrait is wonderous.

[bobbykeniston]

From the list, I have only read "Boulder", but I loved it. Absolutely thought it was brilliant.
I am definitely interested in "Time Shelter"--- I am a caregiver for my father who has dementia, so the topic has a strange resonance with me, the idea of memory and the past.
I know Willow from Books and Bao thought "The Whale" was problematic and was disappointed to see it on the short list.
I am VERY interested in "Still Born". I have heard nothing but great things.

[danicadabic]

Actually, there are more of Gospodinov's books translated into English. Couple of weeks ago I took his "Natural Novel" from the library and I've just placed hold for his story collection "And Other Stories". Happy readings!!

[curtisevanschicago]

Bulgaria is a fascinating country and culture. My Bulgarian co-worker will be boasting about this immediately 🇧🇬 🇧🇬 🇧🇬

[spexi]

Still Born- read the very first page to see if I wanted to read it as much as I thought I did, and it was such a 🔥 first page …. I kept reading. Boulder & Time Shelter were the other 2 I was really interested in.

[bookish-bedlam]

I'm pleased. I was hoping for "Whale" which was my favorite, but I think "Time Shelter" is a better book.

[dqan]

TS is the one I was most interested in, so I'm pretty happy. Probably means I'm less inclined than ever to read Still Born and Boulder. Would like to check out the others, but time keeps slipping by. Actually bought Gospel today on a whim that didn't pan out. I could return it, I guess...but no.

[ygftiui]

Im good with Time Shelter winning found it very interesting. I was wishing for The Birthday Party, A System So Magnificent It’s Blinding, and Pyre to make the shortlist. I still need to read Pyre

[loriroemer]

I'm only about a chapter into TS, but I love it so far.

[laurab]

In my case, I love Time shelter since It makes me think about the importancy of memory for those who asre ill and how losing their past, the things they learnt killes the. Moreover, I love the way that the book stand up the idea of a dignified death. ASnd finally, the books, its endings, remind us that our poast is important but we cannot live always in the past since if we live in the past, we won't have any future

[Thebookerharlot]

I’m still bitter that The Birthday Party didn’t win. If you are looking for a unique thriller, with literary prose, slow unravelling suspense and incredible characters, I would highly recommend it. I loved the first half of Time Shelter, but didn’t think the second half was as sharp. I loved Boulder, but was left wanting more. Still Born was my choice from the shortlist to win, however I would have been happy with Conde…serious modern classic. Whale is an amazing ride if you like magical realism. Standing Heavy is very witty, but I got lost in the historical sections.

[Scratchcard]

"No time belongs to you, no place is yours. What you seek does not seek you, what you dream does not dream you. You know something was yours in another place and time, so you keep crossing past rooms and days. But if you are in the right place, the time is different. If you are in the right time, the place is different. Incurable."
Taken from Time Shelter :)

[garagegeek]

I listened to Time Shelter and I thought it wasted the amazing premise. I was disappointed it won but I have t read any of the others yet (I know that sounds weird).

[cmleidi]

I'm a bit disappointed that Whale or Boulder didn't win. They were my favorites of the short list although I have not read Still Born but it's coming from Blackwell's. I had the same reaction to the Conde book that you did. Her other work is better than this one.

[spexi]

I was initially intrigued by Whale, but after hearing feedback from quite a few people with disabilities about the way the book depicts/utilizes/exploits ( I can’t find the words) disabilities….. I lost interest. Blahdiggityblah 📖🪱💚