Is This Year’s Booker Prize Winner Worth The Read?

Ananya Chaturvedi | The 15 A Chronicles' Desk

Time Shelter, published in English in 2022, is a novel by Bulgarian author Georgi Gospodinov. The novel won the 2023 International Booker Prize, becoming the first Bulgarian novel to win the prize.

The story revolves around a new type of clinic “time shelter”, that has been set up to deal with the new-age problems of the world. These clinics offer patients the opportunity to escape from the present and revisit a different time in their lives. It is because of the near-future world where time is becoming increasingly fragmented. People are constantly bombarded with information and stimuli, and focusing and concentrating is becoming more difficult.

Here are some additional reasons why you can choose to read Time Shelter:

• The novel is a unique and original take on the time travel genre.

• The novel explores the themes of nostalgia, loss, and the search for meaning.

• The novel is full of humour, wit, and insight.

• The novel is beautifully written, with Gospodinov's prose capturing the fleeting and ephemeral nature of time.

If you are looking for a thought-provoking and enjoyable read, then I highly recommend Time Shelter. It is a novel that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.