From a longlist of 13, six novels have been shortlisted for the 2025 International Booker prize. Our academics review the finalists ahead of the announcement of the winner on May 20.
Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated by Asa Yoneda
Table of Contents
- Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated by Asa Yoneda
- Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi
- A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre, translated by Mark Hutchinson
- Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated by Sophie Hughes
- On The Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle, translated by Barbara Haveland
- Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated by Helen Stevenson
- International Booker Prize 2025: A Deep Dive into the Shortlist with Literary Expert, Dr.anya Sharma
Rinko Kawuchi/ Granta Books
Hiromi Kawakami’s Under the Eye of the Big Bird offers us glimpses of one imagined future for earth and humanity.
Its vision could be described as post-apocalyptic. After unspecified cataclysmic events, humans exist only in tiny, scattered communities and extinction seems imminent. But this is also a beautiful, if dreamlike, world and one in which humanity still has the potential for astonishing growth and change.
Each chapter introduces something new and startling to the reader. Many of the tropes are familiar – cloning, superpowers, mutation, AI. Yet they are configured in unfamiliar ways and prompt reflections on the nature of humanity and our relationship with the rest of creation – as well as on time, religion and the possibility of an afterlife.
Despite grappling with so many huge questions, Under the Eye of the Big Bird is an accessible and absorbing novel. And, although tragedy is never far away, there remains humour – and hope.
Sarah Annes Brown, Professor of English Literature
Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi
Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp shines a light on the lives of Muslim women in rural India. In a bold and memorable translation from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, this quietly powerful collection of short stories opens up the intimate space of domestic rituals and family tensions.
Mushtaq’s fervent advocacy of women’s rights is evident in the compassion with which she brings to life the women in the stories: from the lack of autonomy suffered by young girls forced into wedlock to the indignity of an older woman obliged to accept her husband taking a second wife or a widow whose son arranges a new marriage for her, the women’s lives are dictated by men.
Heart Lamp is perhaps best summed up in the final story, “Be a Woman Once, O Lord!” Throughout these stories, Mushtaq invites us – and whichever male deity might be listening – to walk in the shoes of women overlooked by an unquestioned patriarchal hierarchy.
Helen Vassallo, Associate Professor of French and Translation
A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre, translated by Mark Hutchinson
Francesca Garnovani / Gallimard
Published in France in 2008 as Un chapeau léopard, A Leopard-Skin Hat is a novel about a friendship spanning 20 years between a woman called Fanny and a man known throughout only as “the Narrator”. He is not, though, the narrator of the novel. Rather, an unknown storyteller tells us how the Narrator sees Fanny gradually lose the fight against madness (the novel’s word) and, in the end, death.
This is a novel about the mystery of other people, about how unknowable others are to us. It explores how we narrate to try to understand people who are not us, but whom we love. What is most extraordinary about Serre’s novel is the way it shows us two friends doing very ordinary things – going out for dinner, going on holiday, walking in the countryside and swimming in lakes – but shows us through this the strangeness and complexity of friendship, love and life.
Leigh Wilson, Professor of English Literature
Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated by Sophie Hughes
Marcus Lieder/Fitzcarraldo
Perfection is a slim account of the way that time “disappears” for Anna and Tom, an expat couple living in Berlin as creative freelancers in the 2010s.
Written in homage to Georges Perec’s Things: The Story of the Sixties (1965), the novel opens with an overbearing description of the items in their apartment, moving in and out of the characters’ dissatisfaction with the aesthetic, social, creative, economic and political routes open to them in 120 pages spanning a little over 10 years.
As international elections, the European refugee crises and climate catastrophe dance in and out of their peripheral vision, Anna and Tom find neither satisfaction with their current moment nor successfully imagine a better one. As such, Latronico gently, but with an increasing sense of fatalism, considers the stagnation of a millennial creative class whose views on influence, status, power and happiness remain deeply linked to the “new emotions” of digital mediation.
By Rachel Sykes, Associate Professor in Contemporary Literature and Culture
On The Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle, translated by Barbara Haveland
Sarah Hartvigsen Juncker/Faber
In On The Calculation of Volume, a woman, Tara Selter, finds herself trapped in an endlessly repeating day, November 18. Volume I, the first of seven books, recounts the first 365 days of this time loop, with Tara attempting to make sense of her predicament, to explain it to her husband – who is still bound by the normal rules of time – and to try to fix whatever has initiated this situation.
As the novel continues, it becomes less focused on the novelty of the situation and more on the philosophical questions it raises: the alternate claustrophobia and liberation of replaying the same day; how our friends and partners sometimes feel like they inhabit a different reality; the way in which time pulls things and people apart; of the importance we place in the idea of “tomorrow”.
What’s remarkable about Balle’s novel is how compulsive it is – even though we know time is standing still, we still want to know what will happen next.
David Hering, Senior Lecturer in English Literature
Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated by Helen Stevenson
Francesca Gantovani / Small Axes
Vincent Delecroix’s Small Boat is a slim, bruising novel that centres on a real horror: the drowning of 27 migrants in the English Channel in November 2021. In a small, inflatable craft, they reached out over crackling radio lines, asking for help that never came.
Small Boat focuses not on the migrants themselves, but on a French coastguard operator who spent that night on the radio, fielding their calls for rescue. Delecroix’s brilliance lies in showing how violence at the border is carried out not by villains, but by workers. It was not evil that allowed those people to die in the water, it was a string of decisions made by people in warm rooms who believed they were doing their jobs.
In a world ever more brutal towards those who flee war, hunger and despair, Delecroix’s novel is a necessary – and merciless – indictment. It reminds us that the shipwreck is not theirs alone. It is ours too.
Fiona Murphy, Assistant Professor in Refugee and Intercultural Studies
International Booker Prize 2025: A Deep Dive into the Shortlist with Literary Expert, Dr.anya Sharma
The 2025 international Booker Prize shortlist has been revealed, showcasing six exceptional novels translated into English.to understand the significance of these works adn thier potential impact, we spoke with Dr. Anya Sharma, a renowned literary critic specializing in translated fiction. She provides insightful commentary on each shortlisted book, offering readers a guide to these compelling narratives.
Time.news: Dr. Sharma,thank you for joining us. The International Booker Prize is a major event in the literary world. what general observations can you make about this year’s shortlist?
Dr.Anya Sharma: It’s a pleasure to be here. This year’s shortlist is remarkably diverse, both thematically and geographically. We see explorations of post-apocalyptic futures, intimate portrayals of women’s lives in rural India, reflections on friendship and madness, and critiques of contemporary society.Most importantly, this selection demonstrates the power of translated fiction to broaden our perspectives.
Time.news: Let’s delve into the individual titles. Hiromi Kawakami’s Under the eye of the Big Bird translated by Asa yoneda, presents a post-apocalyptic vision. What makes this novel stand out within the genre?
Dr. Anya Sharma: Post-apocalyptic narratives frequently enough focus on survival and despair. Kawakami seemingly balances these elements with hope and even humour. The reviewer notes the familiar tropes of cloning and AI, configured in unexpected ways. This suggests a unique exploration of what it means to be human in the face of potential extinction, and poses deep philosophical questions about time, religion, and the afterlife. For readers interested in thought-provoking science fiction with a humanist touch, this might be a compelling choice.
(Keywords: Hiromi Kawakami,Under the Eye of the Big Bird,asa Yoneda,post-apocalyptic fiction)
Time.news: Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi, shifts our focus to rural India and the lives of muslim women. What does this book offer readers?
Dr.Anya Sharma: Heart Lamp offers a powerful, intimate look into a world frequently enough unseen. The collection highlights the struggles faced by women within a patriarchal society.The translator, deepa Bhasthi, makes a significant contribution allowing the stories, ripe with cultural nuance, to reach a global audience. Readers interested in social justice, women’s rights, and cross-cultural understanding will find this collection deeply moving and enlightening.
(Keywords: Banu Mushtaq, Heart Lamp, Deepa Bhasthi, muslim women, rural India, women’s rights)
Time.news: Anne Serre’s A Leopard-Skin Hat, translated by Mark Hutchinson, seems to explore the complexities of human relationships. What are your thoughts on this novel?
Dr. Anya Sharma: A Leopard-Skin Hat is positioned as a character study centered around the themes of friendship, love, and loss. I’m intrigued by the unique narrative structure, where an unnamed storyteller recounts the Narrator’s relationship with Fanny. This distance creates a space for the reader to question how well we can truly know those we love. The novel invites us to contemplate the strangeness and complexity that can exist within seemingly ordinary situations.
(Keywords: Anne Serre, A Leopard-Skin hat, Mark hutchinson, friendship, love, madness)
Time.news: Vincenzo Latronico’s Perfection, translated by sophie Hughes, seems to offer a commentary on contemporary millennial life. What makes it relevant?
Dr. Anya Sharma: The reviewer draws a parallel to George Perec’s Things: The Story of the Sixties. Latronico appears to examine the anxieties and disillusionment of today’s creative class, within the context of digital culture and global crises. The novel seems to be a reflective and potentially fatalistic look at our influences, values, and power in a hyper-mediated world, making it an significant read for anyone grappling with the challenges of modern life.
(Keywords: Vincenzo Latronico, Perfection, Sophie Hughes, millennial, creative class, digital media)
Time.news: Solvej Balle’s on The Calculation of Volume I, translated by Barbara Haveland, presents a time-loop narrative. what sets it apart?
Dr. Anya sharma: Time-loop stories can be a tricky premise to pull off, but the review highlights the philosophical depth that Balle brings to the concept. The compulsive nature suggests that the novel moves beyond the initial novelty and explores profound questions about time, relationships, and the meaning of “tomorrow.” It might appeal to fans of philosophical fiction.
(Keywords: Solvej Balle, On The Calculation of Volume I, Barbara Haveland, time loop, philosophical fiction)
Time.news: Vincent Delecroix’s Small Boat,translated by Helen Stevenson,tackles the sensitive subject of migrant deaths in the English Channel. How does this novel contribute to the conversation?
Dr. Anya sharma: Small Boat is a crucial and timely work. By focusing on the french coastguard operator, Delecroix highlights the systemic issues that contribute to such tragedies. It challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths about our own complicity in border violence and the dehumanization of migrants. This is undoubtedly a powerful and important read, especially in our current global context.
(Keywords: Vincent Delecroix, Small Boat, Helen Stevenson, migrants, English Channel, border violence)
Time.news: Given the diversity of this list, what practical advice would you offer readers trying to decide which book to pick up first?
Dr. Anya Sharma: I recommend reading further excerpts, when available, and considering your own literary preferences. Are you drawn to philosophical explorations, socio-political commentaries, or character-driven narratives? Each book offers somthing unique, and ultimately, the best choice depends on what resonates most with you as a reader.
Time.news: Dr. Sharma, thank you for your invaluable insights. We look forward to seeing which novel will be awarded the 2025 International Booker Prize!
