Try a Chapter Tag: Booker Prize 2024 Longlist Edition

Try a Chapter Tag: Booker Prize Longlist Edition

This year I'm going to read every book on The Booker Prize Longlist, and today I'm trying the first chapter of all 13 books and giving you my first impressions of The Booker Prize Longlist

Find Me

Held by Anne Michaels
James by Percival Everett

0:00 - Intro
0:52 - This Strange Eventful History by Claire Massud
1:53 - The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden
2:56 - Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
4:19 - Playground by Richard Powers
7:44 - Book Haul
10:34 - My Friends by Hisham Matar
12:02 - Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel
14:09 - Held by Anne Michaels
16:47 - Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
19:49 - Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
23:03 - Orbital by Samantha Harvey
26:06 - Wild Houses by Colin Barrett
27:46 - James by Percival Everett
30:53 - Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood
32:33 - Ranking the Booker Prize Longlist

[sonjameyer]

The only one I've read is The Safekeep and unfortunately, I agree with you about it. The twist was so obvious from the very beginning so the whole attempt at suspence and intruige felt flat. I'm from Germany where book set in this post-WW2 era are very very popular and I think I have seen this exact twist 10+ times in various media (It's like THE standard twist to do for stories set in this era). This was from a Dutch perspective and well written but it didn't really offer any new thoughts imo.

[jacquelinemcmenamin]

My rankings of the books I’ve read so far from the long list
1. My Friends
2. Wild Houses
3. Orbital
4. The Safekeep ( 3 star)
5. Stone yard Devotional
I found Enlightenment disappointing
I’m waiting to see what’s on the shortlist before reading much more. I do have a copy on James on audio