Whale: SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE 2023

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Cheon’s sprawling, fantastical saga focuses on a mother, Geumbok, and her daughter Chunhui, whose experiences combine to form an oblique examination of the development of South Korean society in the years after the Korean War. Geumbok and Chunhui are living through a time of enormous transformations and puzzling contradictions. Geumbok, an ordinary girl from an impoverished village, through a mix of chance and skill, reinvents herself as a successful entrepreneur. She’s almost uncannily capable of grasping the opportunities on offer in an increasingly capitalist environment, while her daughter’s extraordinary size and strength, as well as an inability to speak, marks her out as a victim in South Korea’s increasingly repressive system. I agree here with author Cheon Meong-Kwan: it’s better to aim high and be daring, even if it’s just your debut novel. I would say the one downside is the vile treatment of women throughout the novel. They are repeatedly assaulted, beaten, discarded… men seem to only be able to act on primal instincts and it’s very disheartening. Nothing ever gets better for them even when the rest of society seems to be moving forward (perhaps there’s an element of social commentary there?) Nevertheless, I’m sure the author could’ve found something else to link these women together other than intergenerational violence and trauma. Standing Heavy is highly relevant for our times as societies in many parts of the world grapple with the problems of capitalism, inequality, racism and the legacies and open wounds of history. Yet the book has its feet firmly on the ground as we see how power manifests itself in many small, often very ordinary ways. The style of storytelling forces us to see our own everyday realities through different eyes. As I am unfamiliar with the author, I can only take his work at face value and how it felt to me. To me, the violence was a head-on critique of Korea’s misogyny and obesity stigma. And as this book spans generations, the violence against women stood out even more when set against the modernization of Korea’s society. The world was progressing, but why weren’t the people?

Set in a remote Korean village, Whale follows three mythical characters with interlinked lives: Geumbok, who has been chasing an indescribable thrill ever since she first saw a whale crest in the ocean; her mute daughter, Chunhui, who communicates with elephants; and a one-eyed woman who controls honeybees with a whistle. Whalegives new meaning to the generation-spanning epic. Cheon expertly inserts metafictional jousts into his stirring prose, sardonically toying with our need for narrative even as he explores his characters’ lives with heartfelt urgency. Wonderfully translated by Kim,Whaleis an intricate work of art with unexpected riches.”— YZ Chin, author of Edge Case Set largely in the remote village of Pyeongdae, the dreamlike story of Whale is punctuated by satirical references to historical events that mark the seismic social shifts that transformed South Korea into a modern state in the 20th century.The novel asks challenging questions about care for terminally ill children and substitute motherhood. Laura and Alina’s bond is a constant core. At one point the prospect of the death of a child is described as “so unacceptable that we have chosen not to name it”. Is there something unique about this book, something that you haven’t encountered in fiction before? This review isn’t a “I loved it, go read it” type of review. It’s a “I loved it, but it’s complicated so please read it so I can discuss with you” review. Because, I did love it. I thought the translation was phenomenal. It truly did not feel like a translated piece of literature. It felt like this was exactly how this story was supposed to be written and told. Highly visual and plot-driven with a full cast of characters, I was completely drawn into the story.

We wanted to celebrate literary ambition, panache, originality and, of course, through this, the talent of translators who have been able to convey all of this with great skill,” she added. Geumbok's daughter is Chunhui. She's the whale-like, autistic- y, mute girl who talks to the dead or alive elephant. We like her. We don't want bad things to happen to her. Bad things happen to her. We don't know what her thoughts were and we don't know what kind of life she desired. She was different, and she lived in isolation because of that.The main characters - Andre, Ferdinand, Ossiri and Kassoum - belong to different generations of undocumented workers. As we follow them we see how the migrant experience has evolved, from the initially more optimistic and easy-going 1960s to more harder-edged, xenophobic and suspicious times today. While their experiences, and fates, differ they collectively bring a lively, often razor-sharp, perspective on France and its recent history as well as more broadly the state of capitalism that will leave many readers nodding and laughing along, perhaps even feeling they’ve taken the words right out of their mouths. Alongside the whirlwind plot, probably the riotous sense of humour. This is real Rabelaisian stuff – grotesque bodies, violence, passion, decay and carnivalesque laughter. This makes the book very funny, but also deeply human. The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Partners The image of a very large woman was the genesis of this novel. I was drawn to the tragedy of her enormous corporeality and began plotting out the story. I recently watched Darren Aronofsky’s film featuring a 272-kilogram man, and I was surprised to learn that the film’s title was also The Whale; it too symbolizes massive physicality and loneliness. The International Booker Prize shines a light on the best works of literature originally written in languages other than English, now translated and published in the UK or Ireland. As this year’s shortlist is revealed, we take a closer look at the six remarkable books and the stories behind them; their common themes and their many differences.