The Man Booker International Prize 2016 shadow shorlist

We’ve browsed the books and totted up the totals, and now we have our shadow shortlist for the MBIP. It was a close-run thing , with Tram 83 almost making it; but here (in alphabetical order) are the books that made our top six.

• The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante, translated from the Italian by Ann Goldstein (Europa Editions)
• The Vegetarian by Han Kang, translated from the Korean by Deborah Smith (Portobello Books)
• Mend the Living by Maylis de Kerangal, translated from the French by Jessica Moore (MacLehose Press)
• The Four Books by Yan Lianke, translated from the Chinese by Carlos Rojas (Chatto & Windus)
• Ladivine by Marie NDiaye, translated from the French by Jordan Stump (MacLehose Press)
• Death by Water by Kenzaburō Ōe, translated from the Japanese by Deborah Boliner Boem (Atlantic Books)

I haven’t had the chance to review as much of the longlist this year as I’d have liked; but I have read all the books, and this is a strong shortlist. We really are spoilt for choice when it comes to a shadow winner, so arguing this selection down will be interesting.

We’ll find out what’s on the official shortlist tomorrow.