Tournament of Books discussion

space to discuss 2022 TOB contender: In Concrete by Anne Garreta

This book must have been a real challenge to translate! I’m about halfway through and am undecided how I feel about it.

I absolutely loved the first 2/3 and enjoyed the last third a little less. It becomes rather exhausting after a while. I strongly suggest reading the translator's note at the end - it gives a lot of insight into the translation process in general as well as highlighting the joys and frustrations of attempting a translation of In Concrete.

I don't see it winning the ToB by any stretch, but I'm glad I read it.

I enjoyed this one a great deal--it was a fun, weird little book. It's a lot more playful than her previous books from Deep Vellum. The world play/pun stuff was surprising to me in a translation. Anyone else have it upsetting BWWAY in the first round?

Bob wrote: "...Anyone else have it upsetting BWWAY in the first round?"

I would not be the least bit surprised for In Concrete to take down BWWAY in round 1.

Phyllis wrote: "Bob wrote: "...Anyone else have it upsetting BWWAY in the first round?"

I would not be the least bit surprised for In Concrete to take down BWWAY in round 1."

Even if BWWAY gets taken out by any book, I fear it will be a zombie no matter what. :/ And I feel like, in my limited opinion, 2020s books were lovely and should have had way more of a chance to take down 'Normal People'. Sure, I haven't read many from this bracket yet, but revisiting the 2020 ToB I think so fondly of so many of that bracket!

I wish I had come across this before Zombie voting because it would have received my vote! it's the most fun and creative book of the ones I've read so far (admittedly still not even to the 1/2-way point) and it is a wonder of translation! I agree with Brooks that the translator's note is really interesting and adds to the charm and wonder (plus answered a lot of my 'is this intentional?' questions I had along the way re: sex - straight and otherwise - puns)

Drew wrote: "This book must have been a real challenge to translate! I’m about halfway through and am undecided how I feel about it."

Drew, I found the translator's notes at the end of the book far more enjoyable than the book itself. :)

So the translator's work is astounding and she should win all the awards.

I just don't much like word play, and to me it doesn't itself make a successful novel.

Jenny, hear hear! I came here hoping to get an idea of what I should be enjoying about this book. I’m almost halfway in, and I’m not loving it. I’ll finish it because it’s quick and because I’m a completist, but it’s become a slog.

I was very impressed by the clever translation and enjoyed the silliness in the beginning but was turned off by the "no homo" jokes about the guy they inherited the house from, I have no patience for that, especially for a book written in 2021. This author can clearly make wordplay out of anything and everything, why drag out that tired and unfunny trope that is offensive to many?