The Booker Prize has made history once again with its 2024 shortlist announced on September 16. This year marks a groundbreaking moment in the prize’s 55-year history, with five of the six authors being women– setting a new precedent for gender representation in one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards. After reading all six, I have compiled a list of Dublin’s best spots to read each novel to enhance the story, before the winner is announced on November 12.
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Best read in the Gardens at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham
Set in the Dutch countryside after World War II, The Safekeep follows two women who are forced to stay in the same house together, exploring themes of suspicion and obsession. The atmosphere and plot are reminiscent of the film Portrait of a Lady on Fire– however, this does not mean that the plot is predictable.
The Gardens at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham is the perfect spot to read The Safekeep. The book is centred around the countryside estate, and reading in these gardens would make you feel like you’re transported into the novel. Reading while surrounded by statues and a maze of grandiose greenery will make you forget that you’re still in Dublin, heightening the reading experience.
Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
Best read along Dublin’s coastline
Creation Lake follows an undercover agent known as Sadie Smith who is sent on a mission to France to infiltrate a group of radical anti-capitalist eco-activists. While the novel follows somewhat of a spy story, paying homage to the French noir genre, it also raises many philosophical questions from a unique perspective.
There is no better place to read this novel than by Dublin’s coastline. Depending on which sea spot is closest to you, spots with benches such as Seapoint and Dalkey or Clontarf Promenade and Sutton all serve as the perfect backdrop for the novel’s eco-philosophical questions. While being on the water is the most fitting location when reading about environmental issues, it is also perfect for the philosophical questions being explored in Creation Lake.
Held by Anne Michaels
Best read with friends in a cozy pub or Books Upstairs Café
In Held, Canadian novelist Michaels paints a multigenerational narrative exploring themes of war, grief, and love. While the novel jumps back and forth between different generations, what remains consistent are the emotions that the characters feel, symbolising how many human emotions such as love and loyalty are shared across generations.
This novel is meant to be read in a setting that fosters community. Ideally, gather a few friends to a cosy pub like Mulligans during the quiet afternoon hours. If you prefer solo reading, and going to a pub alone to read daunts you, then the Books Upstairs Café is the next best option, with its inviting and cosy atmosphere which attracts many other readers.
James by Percival Everett
Best read in a museum
James is a retelling of Mark Twain’s classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the runaway slave who accompanies Huck on his journey. What makes James so exceptional is that Everett gives his character multiple dimensions and a voice that was never portrayed in Huckleberry Finn while exploring themes of slavery and American history with a satirical touch.
A novel that provokes deep historical reflection deserves a similarly contemplative environment, which makes a museum the perfect environment. Dublin has many free museums that usually have empty benches or designated spaces that are perfect to take out a book and start reading. Some examples include the Hugh Lane Gallery, the National Gallery of Ireland, and the Chester Beatty.
Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood
Best read in St. Patrick’s Park
Considered a contemplative novel, Stone Yard Devotional follows a middle-aged woman who decides to leave Sydney, retreating to a rural Australian monastery despite not being religious. The novel touches on grief, morality, and most powerfully, forgiveness, described as a “mature work” of reflection.
St. Patrick’s Park, while often viewed as merely a shortcut in Dublin, offers a great environment and many benches to read this novel. Reading about religious communities while sitting in front of the beautiful cathedral, especially during this season, really brings the book to life.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Best read at the Lexicon Library
This unique novel is the shortest out of the shortlist and takes place over a single day in the International Space Station, following the astronauts and their inner thoughts and fears. While there is little plot, the reader learns about the astronauts’ daily tasks, such as collecting data, or conducting scientific experiments, all while reflecting on moments of existentialism.
While it is a bit outside of the city centre, the Lexicon Library in Dún Laoghaire pairs perfectly with the novel’s modern and almost futuristic setting. This library is extremely sleek and has amazing natural lighting, pairing well with the modern themes of space while still maintaining a cozy atmosphere where one would enjoy a good book.
Whether you are drawn to the Dublin coastline or a cosy pub, these are the Dublin spots that I recommend to enrich your experience when reading the 2024 Booker Prize shortlist. With each location offering a certain connection to each novel, it will be sure to enhance the reading experience.
