The Discomfort of Evening: Dutch author makes International Booker shortlist

Dutch writer and poet Marieke Lucas Rijneveld has been nominated for the International Booker Prize for best novel translated into English.

Rijneveld (28), who shares the nomination with translator Michele Hutchison, debuted with the novel De avond is ongemak in 2018, which quickly became a bestseller. The story of a deeply religious farming family torn apart by the death of a child, was published under the title The Discomfort of Evening in Britain last month to enthusiastic reviews.

It is the first time a Dutch writer has made the shortlist for the prestigious prize which has been awarded since 2016 and is the international version of the Booker Prize for English fiction. Recent winners include Israeli author David Grossman (A Horse Walks into a Bar) and Nobel prize winner for literature Olga Tokarczuk (Flights) from Poland.

Rijneman shares the shortlist with Iranian Shokoofeh Azar (The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree), Argentinian Gabriela Cabezón Cámara (The Adventures of China Iron), Daniel Kehlmann  (Tyll) Mexican Fernanda Melchor (The Hurricane Season) and Japanese Yoko Ogawa (The Memory Police).

The award ceremony will be on May 19. The winner will receive 50,000 pounds (some €57,000), to be shared with the translator.