The Booker Prize 2020 – Our shortlist predictions

Ahhh 2020 …. WordPress changed their blogging format and we’re all sorta struggling and here we are at the end of a very 2020 Longlist.

Our group rankings are as follows:

1. Apeirogon 18
2. Love and Other Thought Experiments 17.5
3. How Much of These Hills is Gold 16.1
4. The Mirror and the Light 15.6*
5. The Shadow King15.5
6. Shuggie Bain 15.3
7. Real Life 13.9
8. This Mournable Body 12.3
9. Burnt Sugar11.8
10. Such a Fun Age 11.1
11. Redhead at the Side of the Road 11
12. Who They Was 10.6*
13. The New Wilderness 10.4

(* not all reviewers finished the book)

Here are our predictions for the short list:

BookWorm

This year I managed to read 11 of the 13 longlist books so my selections are going to be from what I have read. In no particular order my predictions are:

1. Who They Was
2. Apeirogon
3. The Shadow King
4. Such a Fun Age
5. Love and Other Thought Experiments
6. How Much of These Hills is Gold 

Nicole

I read (or attempted) all but one of the books this year, which I think is a record for me.  But for a couple of gems (my 1 and 2 below) I found the list pretty weak overall.  Conversely, Hamnet, Red Pill, The Yield and Swimming in the Dark all could have, and IMHO, should have, made the list and it would have been stronger. 

1. Apeirogon – an important, beautifully done book, on a topic that needed it
2. Love and Other Thought Experiments – this is the kind of book Booker was made for
3. The Shadow King – I couldn’t finish, but it’s an interesting and underdone subject and I think this is a book the judges would push for
4. Real Life – some important ideas
5. The Mirror and the Light – I attempted Wolf Hall 3 times and never got it to take off … but Mantel won for the previous two books, no way this isn’t shortlisted
6. How Much of These Hills is Gold – I’m scared Such a Fun Age will actually be nominated, but this is (way) more deserving

Susie

What a great longlist it has been this year! I’ve managed to read the lot, with two that I have chosen not to continue; Burnt Sugar, and This Mournable Body. Should either of them make it to the shortlist I will press on and finish. There have been several exceptional reads and I have found it quite easy to narrow down my choices to the five that I hope will make it to the final round, and I have added one that I think will make it despite if being a difficult read for me. They are as follows, in no particular order:

1. Shuggie Bain
2. Apeirogon
3. The Mirror and the Light
4. Love and Other Thought Experiments
5. Real Life
6. The Shadow King

Anita

My attempts to read anything, never mind 13 books on a deadline, have been a big ol’ fail.  So 2020.  But never one to let that stop me from speculating, I’m going with:

1. Love and Other Thought Experiments – I can tell already this will be my favorite!
2. Shuggie Bain – just fair for me, but everyone else is totally loving it
3. Apeirogon – fave of the Reader’s Room
4. The Mirror and the Light – If the judges saw fit to put the 3rd book in a series on the longlist, I’d be floored if it didn’t make the shortlist.
5. Shadow King 
6. Burnt Sugar

Tracy

1. Apeirogon- topical, yet timeless
2. Love and Other Thought Experiments- too creative not to be shortlisted
3. Shuggie Bain- tugging the heartstrings
4. The Shadow King- woman power in history
5.  The New Wilderness- just because I disliked it so much, of course it will be.
6. How Much of These Hills is Gold- the one I liked the best of all the rest.

I wouldn’t be surprised or upset with any of the rest being shortlisted. It feels like a political/diverse list this year, and I think the judges did a pretty good job of choosing books to represent 2020.

 Lisa

I’ve only been able to read 6 of the books so far this year, perhaps because I’ve spent so much time on The Mirror on the Light. And, most of the books I’ve read, I’m thinking, no….

So here is my short list:

1. Apeirogon — everyone really liked it, the topic is so important, and the writing structure is interesting. It will be next on my reading list.
2. Love and Other Thought Experiments — I did read this one, and could even see reading parts of it again. It was unpredictable, and I liked thinking about how each chapter related to the thought experiment at the beginning of the chapter. So, in short, an unusual book.
3. Real Life — I found this agonizing, but the point of view of the narrator is so important

The remaining 3 choices I did not read. I read others’ descriptions, and then chose:

4. The New Wilderness

5. Shuggie Bain

6. The Shadow King

Did you read any of the books? Any shortlist predictions from you? Have we inspired you to read anything?