Oh hell, way to call it. Turns out the winner is....Franz Ferdinand wrote:The only one I have not read that does not really interest me a whole lot is Enright, and therefore my support goes behind Sinha. But will an Indian writer win the Booker two years in a row?
Verdict: Ian McEwan wins his second Booker - and for the second time, wins with a lesser work.
Upset: Lloyd Jones, though not really upsetting now that he's picking up steam.
ANNE ENRIGHT, "THE GATHERING"
Honestly, this was my least favorite of the five I managed to read before they announced it (I only bought "Darkmans" yesterday and it should take me a month of scattered reading to finish it), though I can see the appeal of a dark, depressing, and sometimes graceful book winning. The discussion on the Booker blog from the start has been against Enright, and the popular favorite there was Sinha's novel. The judges stressed that repeat readings reveal the relevance of Enright's book, so I will hold my peace and try it a second time down the road. How will history judge "The Gathering" as a Booker winner? Who knows, but right now it's looking like an unimpressive, unpopular and daring pick by the mercurial judges.