The Translated Literature Book Tag

Hello readers

I was tagged by Callum forever ago, and thankfully you don’t lose too many Blogger Points if you’re like, nearly a year late answering a tag, otherwise my score would be around minus a billion.

Since I read also in Portuguese, I’ve considered a Translated Book only the stuff I’ve read translated into English to keep it simple.

1. A translated novel you would recommend to everyone:

This is an amazing book that I actually heard through Callum’s review! This F/F noir novel is short and intense and just wow, I need to read the next books, as soon as my nerves calm down.

2. A recently read “old” translated novel you enjoyed:

I’m not sure what counts as old, but this is from 1994, so I guess so? I’m almost done with this and I’m really involved in the story – this is just really good.

[Edit] This was actually first published in English! The author is from the Dominican Republic but grew up in the US, so she wrote this in English and then it was translated into Spanish. Sorry, my bad. I can recommend The Death of Ivan Illitch and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy instead! Surprisingly accessible for what I expected and really intriguing stories.

3. A translated book you could not get into:

I love her short stories so much! But somehow her full-length books don’t seem to be my thing. This is the first Clarice Lispector I read in English, and it didn’t do her writing any favors, but it’s still recognizable as her style. It was just not my kind of book.

4. Your most anticipated translated novel release:

Tender is the Flesh just sounds so weird and horrific and I need it in my life.

5. A “foreign-language” author you would love to read more of:

I had such a great time reading this book (so lovely! So bookish! Accidental blue hair!) and I’m curious to read other works by him!

6. A translated novel which you consider to be better than the film:

I am sure I watch movies sometimes but I literally can’t come up with anything. What is a TV? A cinema? No idea. I will read & watch The Remains of the Day sometime soon, though.

7. A translated “philosophical” fiction book you recommend:

I am not sure what counts as a philosophical book, so I will put this one here! It has so many questions left in the end and makes the reader think about their own interpretation of the world building, the motivations of certain characters and about what happens after the story ends – it really has lots of depth and opportunity to philosophize.

8. A translated fiction book that has been on your TBR for far too long:

This is the book that has been on my TBR the longest. I loved A Hundred Years of Solitude, so there’s really no reason why I haven’t picked this up!

9. A popular translated fiction book you have not yet read:

My husband has been campaigning for me to read this book for years now, and I will, I promise. It sounds wonderful and just the kind of book I love, so yeah, there’s no reason why I haven’t picked this up yet, either. *putting on the Hat of Shame*

10. A translated fiction book you have heard a lot about and would like to find more about or read:

A lot of other bloggers have read this and I’ve actually got a copy of this book but it somehow fell a bit off my radar as my reading priorities took over.

I tag…

Because it has been so long, I am tagging people even if they’ve answered the tag before!

Rachel / Hannah / Misty / Emily / Sarah / Marija