The best recent translated fiction – review roundup
A review roundup highlights several recent translated fiction works. Notable titles include 'Sisters in Yellow' by Mieko Kawakami and 'All Flesh' by Ananda Devi, both offering unique narratives. The article emphasizes the diverse themes and styles present in contemporary translated literature.
- ▪Mieko Kawakami's 'Sisters in Yellow' explores friendship and organized crime in late-1990s Tokyo.
- ▪'All Flesh' by Ananda Devi features a schoolgirl grappling with her identity and body image in a darkly comic narrative.
- ▪'The Home of the Drowned' by Elin Anna Labba tells the story of Sámi people facing discrimination as their village is flooded.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Mieko Kawakami. Photograph: Ulf Andersen/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenMieko Kawakami. Photograph: Ulf Andersen/Getty ImagesTranslated fiction roundupFictionReviewThe best recent translated fiction – review roundupSisters in Yellow by Mieko Kawakami; All Flesh by Ananda Devi; The White Desert by Luis López Carrasco; The Home of the Drowned by Elin Anna LabbaJohn SelfFri 29 May 2026 04.00 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleView image in fullscreen=Sisters in Yellow by Mieko Kawakami, translated by Laurel Taylor and Hitomi Yoshio (Picador, £16.99) Kawakami’s latest opens with a bang, as narrator Hana learns that her old friend Kimiko has been charged with abduction.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Guardian — Books.
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