The Translator, Nina Schuyler
The Translator, Nina Schuyler
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The Translator

Author: Nina Schuyler

Narrator: Kirsten Potter

Unabridged: 9 hr 19 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/01/2013

Synopsis

In silken prose and with subtle suspense, Nina Schuyler brings us a mesmerizing novel of language and translation, memory loss and heartbreak, and the search for answers in a foreign country. When renowned translator Hanne Schubert falls down a flight of stairs, her injury is an unusual but real condition—the loss of her native language. She is left speaking only Japanese, a language learned later in life. With her personal life at a crossroad, Hanne leaves for Japan. There, the Japanese novelist whose work she translated stunningly confronts her publicly for sabotaging his work. Reeling, Hanne struggles for meaning and seeks out the inspiration for the author's novel—a tortured, chimerical actor, once a master in the art of Noh theater. Through their passionate and intriguing relationship, Hanne begins to understand the masks she has worn in her life, just as the actor dons the masks that have made him a legend of Noh. The demons from her past and present begin to unfold and Hanne sets out to make amends in this searing and engrossing novel.

About Nina Schuyler

Nina Schuyler’s first novel, The Painting, was a finalist for the Northern California Book Awards. It was also selected by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the Best Books of 2004 and has been translated into Chinese, Portuguese, and Serbian. She attended Stanford University for her undergraduate degree, earned a law degree at Hastings College of the Law, and earned an MFA in fiction with an emphasis on poetry at San Francisco State University. Schuyler currently teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco.

About Kirsten Potter

Kirsten Potter, a graduate of the Boston University School for the Arts, has performed on stage, film, and television, including roles on Medium, Bones, and Judging Amy. An award-winning audiobook narrator, Kirsten has won AudioFile Earphones Awards for her reading of The Snowball by Alice Schroeder and her performance as Barbara in George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara. Her other titles include The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley, Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, Sammy's House by Kristen Gore, and Madapple by Christina Meldrum, which was a Booklist Editors' Choice for Best Audiobook 2008. Kirsten has received recognition from the American Academy of Achievement and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, as well as numerous regional awards.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jennifer on September 24, 2013

Originally published on my blog at therelentlessreader.blogspot.com The first thing that intrigued me about this book was the cover. Isn't it striking? I know we're not supposed to judge books by their covers but how could I not? This one is gorgeous. I was looking forward to reading The Translator fo......more

Goodreads review by Snotchocheez on August 25, 2013

This is one of those light and slightly ethereal books where my opinion of it might waver in the breeze. Today it seems in sync with my spirit; ask me next week I might more revisit its weaknesses. The (titular) Translator, Hanne, a 53 year-old polyglot and mother of a successful, attorney son Tomas......more

Goodreads review by Ms.pegasus on February 08, 2017

Translating a work of literature into another language is a daunting task. A character speaks. Is he being ironic or straightforward? Is he addressing other fictional characters or is he speaking directly to the reader? Or, is he telling himself a story that he doesn't even believe, an argument betw......more

Goodreads review by Ramon on December 26, 2018

We all have a little cop in our heads. An inner voice that tells us what is necessary and proper to do. Many times this is the voice of our parents, a point of view that we have internalized as a child and have accompanied us all our lives. Hannah Schubert, a respected Japanese-English-language tran......more

Quotes

“A lyrical, haunting tale delivered with both grace and smarts. Nina Schuyler skillfully strips away her translator character’s primary language, and sends her on a journey of self-discovery to Japan. You’ll be thankful you followed.” Lalita Tademy, New York Times bestselling author

“In Hanne Schubert’s talent for language, Nina Schuyler delivers the importance of words in literature and in life. In her loss, we better understand the long road of grief, and the distance we will travel for our children.” Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author

“Rich in details both sensory (the country's colors and tastes, as well as the sounds of its language) and cultural (manners, habits, social expectations)…delivered with great grace.” San Francisco Chronicle

“What stands out in Nina Schuyler’s complex and absorbing novel is her ability to craft descriptive and emotionally engaging language with respect to her characters and how she deftly weaves her storyline. A solid, compelling novel from beginning to end, The Translator is truly exceptional and highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library fiction collections.” Midwest Book Review

“Multilingual readers will be delighted by how Schuyler weaves the intricacies and the process of translation into the novel without interrupting the story or its tone. Monolinguals, too, will relate to Schuyler’s carefully sculpted, complex characters and their relationships, the most tender of which involves Hanne’s poignant transformation in regard to her daughter, Brigitte. Evocative, powerful, and well-paced, Schuyler’s novel illuminates how interpreting a person is as complicated an art as translating a book because of the risk of reading what one wants to discover rather than what one needs to learn.” Booklist (starred review)

“Schuyler’s prose is beautifully elegant and understated, with every detail made to count in weaving a rich emotional tapestry.” Catherine Brady, author of The Mechanics of Falling

Awards

  • San Francisco Chronicle Best Book
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