Croatian novel shortlisted for EBRD Literature Prize

The novel U kasno ljeto (In Late Summer) by Magdalena Blažević of Croatia has been shortlisted for the EBRD Literature Prize, awarded for the best work of translated fiction into English from countries where the bank operates.

The book was translated by Anđelka Raguž and published by Linden Editions, CE Report quotes HINA.

The €20,000 prize is divided equally between the winning author and translator for works published in English over the past year, publisher Fraktura said.

Originally published in 2022, the novel tells the story of war engulfing a Bosnian village, shattering the childhood of two girls, Ivana and Dunja, and their families.

Written from the perspective of a murdered girl, the novel offers a universal, anti-war narrative that transcends its setting around Žepče and the River Bosna.

In Late Summer has been translated into around ten languages and won the tportal Literary Award and the Kočićevo Pero Prize in 2023. It has also been shortlisted among 20 titles for the Dublin Literary Award.

This year’s jury is chaired by British journalist and critic Maya Jaggi, alongside Albanian writer Lea Ypi, Nigerian author Chigozie Obioma and British writer Marek Kohn.

The award ceremony will take place on 2 July at the EBRD headquarters in London.

Now in its eighth year, the prize aims to promote literature from the regions where the EBRD operates and highlight the role of translators as cultural bridges. It has introduced and popularised literature from Albania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Slovakia, Türkiye, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

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