Guardian Reviews Four Translated Novels

A new review roundup from The Guardian assesses four recent works of translated fiction, spanning genres from literary metafiction to migrant narratives. The featured books include Finnish, Austrian, Ghanaian-Danish, and Argentine authors, all newly available in English.

The Red Book of Farewells by Pirkko Saisio

The first book covered is Pirkko Saisio's The Red Book of Farewells, translated from Finnish by Mia Spangenberg and published by Penguin International Writers for £14.99. The Guardian's review provides no further details on the plot or themes of this particular title.

Short Circuit by Wolf Haas

Wolf Haas's Short Circuit, translated from German by Jamie Bulloch and published by HarperVia for £20, is a metafictional novel. It centers on Franz Escher, a jigsaw enthusiast described as a merciless hair-splitter, who accidentally kills an electrician called to his home. While waiting for emergency services, Franz reads a novel about a man named Elio, who turned against his mafia family and is now in witness protection. Elio, in turn, kills time by reading a novel about Franz Escher.

The two narratives chase each other, accelerating until they collide, and incorporate elements like courtship by car alarm and rival funeral orators, with many characters assuming multiple identities. The review poses a question central to the plot's convergence: what if the electrician Franz killed was Elio? The Guardian likens the novel's style to the slipstream fiction of Christopher Priest and the light-touch experimentations of David Mitchell, calling it an entertaining literary hall-of-mirrors.

Cosmos by Lucia Odoom

Cosmos by Lucia Odoom, translated from Danish by Hunter Simpson and published by Daunt for £10.99, follows a young Ghanaian man of the same name who has migrated to Copenhagen. He grapples with Denmark's worrying lack of smells and initially collects recyclable bottles for money. Cosmos later takes a modeling job, allowing the agency to believe he is an asylum seeker to elicit sympathy. He falls in love with Elizabeth, asking her what a guilty pleasure is when she uses the term.

His story is told entirely through WhatsApp messages sent to his family back home, a format that includes even intimate scenes. The novel explores his memories of a traumatic, vomit-streaked boat journey to Europe, and his enduring optimism. The review highlights a moment where Cosmos sees a plane and imagines being a crow, flying high above the world, high above everything that no one owns. It's a story of the challenges and hopes of a migrant's life, made charming by the funny narrative voice.

The Fallen Trees Are Also the Forest by Alejandra Kamiya

The final book is Alejandra Kamiya's The Fallen Trees Are Also the Forest, translated from Spanish by Daniel Hahn and published by Pushkin Press for £12.99. The Guardian's review does not elaborate on the content of this novel.

The roundup presents key details for each book in a comparative table.

All four works are now available in English translation.