The internationally-renowned Dublin Literary Award, which is backed by Dublin City Council, has always been valued for its diverse appreciation for various genres. While nominations for this award come in from numerous libraries worldwide, this year’s shortlist is arguably one of the most diverse in its history.
This selection deeply reflects a binary dynamic, split into three main genres. Starting off, there are two premier literary works that have already been lauded by the previous year’s Booker Prize – Jonathan Escoffery’s debut, “If I Survive You”, and national favourite, Sebastian Barry’s “Old God’s Time,” both of which are from authors at different phases of their writing journeys.
Following these, we have two under-the-radar yet easy-to-absorb literary pieces – Emma Donoghue’s “Haven” and Suzette Mayr’s ‘The Sleeping Car Porter’, both muted in their approach yet packed full of pleasure for the reader.
Finally, we have two complex and compelling behemoths, one of which is the lone non-English novel on the list, by Romanian literary sensation Mircea Cǎrtǎrescu. His colossal work, “Solenoid”, goes head-to-head with indigenous author, Alexis Wright’s expansive “Praiseworthy” as the most ambitious, novel and possibly contentious pieces on the shortlist.
Blessedly, the selection offers a little something for all literature lovers. However, the judges certainly have their work cut out for them.
“Solenoid”, penned by Mircea Cǎrtǎrescu and translated by Sean Cotter (Deep Vellum, 672pp), is an extremely extensive and complex piece of work. It begins with the protagonist’s physical condition – as he attempts to take care of his hair lice – and goes on to encompass not only the tangible universe but transcends into other planes as well. The central character is an educator and an unsuccessful writer in Bucharest, whose approach to literature teeters between the exhaustive detail of Karl Ove Knausgaard and the self-critical introspection of Gerald Murnane. In his own words, he sets out to “write a report of my anomalies” – a venture that will undeniably require some time.
While “Solenoid” serves as a road map to the infinitely magnificent and outrageously mad fortress of the author’s mind, it encompasses everything. To savor it requires dedication and ignoring the temptation of other unread books. One of the gripping parts is a detailed narrative of the author’s sanatorium stay as a child, with Thomas Mann serving as a literary reference point. Fascinatingly, the discovery of magnetic solenoids throughout the city, including under the narrator’s residence, sparks his exploration of different dimensions.
However, the constant interruption of his dreams and hallucinations prove less fascinating, leading to a fear of identifying their distinctive italic indicators. The volume includes unknown books, dream-readers, hypercubes, and more justifying Cǎrtǎrescu’s assertion of writing Solenoid in a protracted, untouched spell. Though the storytelling has a certain allure, the book teeters between awe-inspiring the reader and drowning them. If you relish content worthy of a Nobel Prize – a narrative that is ensnaring, profoundly European and internal where the storyline is an unnecessary luxury, this book is for you. However, caution is advised for other readers.
In stark contrast to the elaborate “Solenoid,” Alexis Wright’s voluminous “Praiseworthy” by the Indigenous Australian author, renowned for her prizewinning 2007 novel “Carpentaria,” appears long-winded and direct. It presents a narrative that is more humane and ingrained than Cǎrtǎrescu’s academic one. Wright uses an omniscient voice merging folklore with reality, recounting tales of the Indigenous Australian community of Praiseworthy in far-flung northern Australia.
The main theme of the book is the disconnection between the local populace and the ignorant white government. The story begins by presenting a ‘once fine time for some people,’ surveying the land from a distance, a land where Qantas flights share space with “ancestral serpents”. The town is shrouded in a fog, supposedly linked to climate change driven by “others who couldn’t care less about rescuing a doomed world”. The struggle begins.
The story of the Steel family is at the heart of the narrative, where the younger son labeled “fascist”, Tommyhawk, is driven by media narratives of widespread paedophilia in Indigenous communities to level accusations of sexual assault against his elder brother, Aboriginal Sovereignty. The elder sibling then mysteriously vanishes, supposedly having drowned in a suspected suicide. The narrative repeatedly revolves around these incidents and themes, an approach that’s both intriguing and disconcerting. While defying conventional Western storytelling methods, the sheer length of the narrative and its circling style can deter some readers.
“The Sleeping Car Porter” is penned by Suzette Mayr, a Canadian novelist unfamiliar to me until this book, but her three decades of writing experience shines through her sixth offering. The winner of Canada’s esteemed Giller Prize in 2022, the book weaves a captivating tale set against the backdrop of a train journey from Montreal to Vancouver in 1929. The train carries a diverse set of characters, and leading us through this microcosm of life is Baxter, a black porter saving up for dental school.
Train journeys can breed secrets, and a constant thrill is untangling the mysteries kept by various passengers – everyone from yapping spiritualists to newlyweds, humorously nicknamed by Baxter as Mango, Blancmange and Liquor Head. But Baxter harbours his secret – he’s gay with limited sexual experience, terrorised by the thought of someone discovering the explicit postcard he’s carrying or accumulating enough passenger complaints that could lead to his dismissal.
The narrative takes an interesting turn when a mudslide stalls the train for many days, injecting a much-needed thrill into the story. The untouched train parallels Baxter’s cautious life, while passengers illegally dart along the tracks. Instead of ending in a shocking climax, the book peppered with small dramas makes for a humane and engaging read, marking this novel as a potentially popular choice.
Emma Donoghue’s “Haven” is published by Picador and spans 272 pages.
Not requiring any formal introduction, prolific author Emma Donoghue, who has penned four novels in the past five years, presents her 2022 piece, Haven. This traditional fiction illustrates the initial steps of monastery establishment on a now-renamed island, Skellig Michael, situated off the Kerry coastline, during the 7th century AD.
Three monks venture on a journey by sea under the leadership of zealot Brother Artt, who happens to be a visioner and the self-proclaimed head of the emerging establishment. His team is comprised of the dependable Cormac, a former plague victim, viewed as specially selected by God, and the secretive young Trian, with left-handedness being the least of his mysteries. Intricate details of their hardships in crafting a fresh lifestyle on this uninviting rock unfold at a deliberate pace. It takes nearly a third of the book before they even dock the island.
Cormac and Trian are assigned to practical jobs such as carving hollows on rocks for rainwater, slaying auks for nutrition, whilst Artt is preoccupied with spiritual ambitions like erecting an invisible cross. Nonetheless, despite engaging activities, the slow-moving narrative could use additional conflicts. As Artt becomes radical, insisting tasks such as cooking are worldly diversions, the other two are begrudgingly compliant. However, the conclusion compensates for the earlier sluggish pace as it offers a climactic close. Despite perhaps not being as unique as other nominees, Haven is still an enjoyable, engaging read.
Another promising novel is Old God’s Time by the renowned Sebastian Barry, published by Faber. Despite his numerous accolades, Barry continues to impress with high-quality books. This latest creation, longlisted for the Booker prize, delves into the mind of ex-police officer Tom Kettle, and reflects on the paradox of life’s continuity in the face of tragedy, beautifully encapsulated by the phrase of American author Cynthia Zarin.
Tom, having lost his loved ones to various tragedies, finds himself teetering on the edge of self-demise, his life hanging in the balance literally by a rope around his neck. However, life proves tenacious, luring him back from the precipice, and two ex-colleagues pay him a visit about a forgotten case. This comes as a reminder of Ireland’s tumultuous past as recounted in this narrative, revealing the personal devastation that political conflicts can leave behind as well as the country’s deep-seated scandal of institutionalised child abuse.
This intriguing narrative swiftly oscillates from introspective retrospections to action-packed scenarios that keep the readers engrossed, much like Barry’s American novels, Days Without End and A Thousand Moons. The narration is captivatingly poetic and unflinchingly candid. The narrative grapples with profound questions about death, exploring whether it is harder to deal with a death waged by appalling circumstances, or one that carries no reason at all and underscores the paradox of memory as a remedy and torment. The belief that this painfully poignant book is well-deserving of accolades cannot be dismissed as mere chauvinistic prejudice.
Another book to note is, If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery. This American author’s debut piqued interest last when it was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Its classification remains ambiguous- is it a novel or a collection of interconnected tales? Regardless, the quality of the writing is undeniable.
The narratives are primarily set in Miami, deriving inspiration from Escoffery’s childhood, and revolving around extended family of brothers Trelawney and Delano. The opening story, In Flux, ingeniously explores racial identity through Trelawney’s befuddlement about racial categorisation. In another intriguing story, Odd Jobs, the narrative delves into familial dynamics as Trelawney responds to a classified ad from a woman wanting to be given a black eye for a photo project, specifying her preference for a non-black individual to execute the task. The book thoroughly explores the complexities of the American dream.
Fathers are often the focus, for instance in Splashdown, Cukie, Trelawney’s relative, strives to learn from an usually non-present father as he navigates his way into fatherhood. “What sort of man is he?” If I Survive You, with its interconnected stories revolving around a US immigrant community, stands shoulder to shoulder with exceptional first-time works like Junot Diaz’s Drown and Bryan Washington’s Lot. However, this piece displays more finesse and refinement in its tone and leans more towards literary writing styles seen in workshops; at times, sounding more like an author than a persona. For example, “He gently knelt down, cautiously lifting the lid of the bin, as if hoping to discover the torn map leading to his father’s spirit.” Generally, this initial endeavour delivers more than potentiality – it is effective, striking, and enjoyable.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste, will proclaim the recipient of the €100,000 reward on the 23rd of May, during the course of the International Literature Festival Dublin, an event also backed by Dublin City Council.