BOOK REVIEW
by Jennifer Croft
reviewed by Elvira Bianchi
‘This ingeniously structured novel … humorously manages to free our profession of its invisibility cloak.’
This ingeniously structured novel from International Booker Prize–winning translator Jennifer Croft humorously manages to free our profession of its invisibility cloak.
Set against the backdrop of a primeval forest in Poland, the plot follows the mysterious disappearance of world-renowned Polish author Irena Rey and the ensuing quest for truth undertaken by a group of eight translators who have been gathered to work on her masterpiece, Gray Eminence.
What sets this novel apart is its dual perspective, established from the outset with a translator’s foreword that introduces Irena’s fictional English translator, Alexis, as also the translator of Croft’s own novel. The narrative voice is that of Irena’s Spanish translator Emi, while Alexis is engaged in translating Emi’s narration into English.
The fictional translator becomes visible – and thus the dual perspective is forged – via Alexis’s frequent translator’s notes. Apart from allowing for greater insight into the relationship between the two main protagonists, Alexis and Emi, this ingenious, layered approach to storytelling is entertaining, and creates tension between the two perspectives.
Indeed, Alexis’s footnotes range from informative clarifications to exasperated interventions that cast doubt on the accuracy of Emi’s version of events. Likewise, Emi’s opinion of Alexis casts constant doubt on the accuracy of the translation with which we’re presented. The tension is expertly designed to be thought-provoking, leading readers to re-examine questions of truth and subjectivity.
Admittedly, by completely shattering the invisibility of the fictional translator, the duality creates a perhaps unrealistic scenario – but one that makes the read entertaining, while also bringing both the beauty and the complexity of the profession of literary translator to light.
While brilliantly structured, the novel disappoints on other levels. For instance, Emi – whether due to Alexis’s translation and notes or not – comes across as an excessively intense character, rather insecure and obsessive. Undoubtedly, Croft is furthering the contrast between the two characters by pitting Emi’s obsessive reverence of Irena against Alexis’s pragmatic views, perhaps to discuss underlying themes of meaning and the relationship between author and translator. However, Emi accordingly fails to come across as likeable and engage readers emotionally.
Additionally, the premise of an exciting mystery sometimes falls flat, with some lengthy passages in which not much happens, leaving readers wondering what the translators are doing in Irena’s house after her disappearance. Sure, as the translators delve deeper into both the forest and Irena’s enigmatic world, they find themselves questioning everything they knew about her and grappling with their own insecurities, desires and problems. But often the book appears essayistic, tackling perhaps too many themes for one novel – including the connection between art and nature, fame, racism, sexuality and ecology.
The Extinction of Irena Rey is thought-provoking and entertaining. In the end, however, I came away feeling that while Croft is clearly a master of language, she sometimes delivers a superficial exploration of weighty themes, making some sections of the book feel drawn out and overwritten.
Cover reproduced courtesy of Scribe Publications, artwork by Inka Essenhigh
Elvira Bianchi is a Melbourne-based freelance Italian–English translator and interpreter. Having completed her BA at ZHAW in Switzerland and moved to Melbourne for her master’s degree, Elvira is currently a PhD candidate at RMIT University investigating communication between schools and non-English-speaking families, and is also pursuing her passion for writing fiction.
