The Shadow King discussion

The Booker Prize repeatedly exposes me to the type of literature important to me: challenging, experimental-ish, and emotionally engaging. After years of aspiring to read all the shortlist nominees before the winner was crowned, I finally did it. In preparation for today's Booker Prize announcement I offer brief thoughts on the six nominees.

The Shadow King Near certain this wins the prize. Such a challenging read, to the degree I hated it at times, but it is a brilliant story with so many different perspectives which bend through time. An incredible accomplishment I will likely read again and enjoy thoroughly.

Shuggie Bain My personal favorite of the bunch. Totally invested in the wrenching story of a young boy dealing with his alcoholic mother, getting my hopes up alongside Shuggie's every time his mother got sober. Only to realize in the acknowledgements the author lived this story and have my heart sob all over again.

This Mournable Body My least favorite. Though, to be fair, I listened to this on audiobook and didn't give it a fair chance. The use of second person narrative throughout was awesome and terrible — in the end the main character simply didn't grab me and my attention wandered in and out.

Burnt Sugar The strongest personal connection. Burnt Sugar tells the story of a married Indian woman confronting her mother's diminishing memory. Evoked fond memories of time spent in India, and strenuous times being married to an Indian woman who didn't get along with her mother.

Real Life A head nodder. As in, you finish the book, nod your head and say, "that was pretty good" and move on with your life. Enjoyed the perspective of a gay black man as a graduate student in a predominately white science department trying to fit in with his classmates but it didn't stick to my bones.

The New Wilderness My second favorite and the easiest read. New Wilderness imagines a world in which climate change is forcing humans into the wilderness, which is fiercely patrolled and protected from such denizens. Add interpersonal strife between mother and daughter trying to survive and you've got an eager page turner.