Longlist Debate

What did you think would get through?

I had three top favourites (Summertime, Love and Summer, and The Wilderness) so I guess my answer is no, my favourites did not make the short list, as only one of them did. Of my next three in line (The Glass Room, Brooklyn, Wolf Hall), two made it.

Three out of six isn't bad I suppose!

I would have been quite upset if Summertime did not make it through.

Almost finished O'Loughlin which I expected to miss out on the list and I've still got both the Coetzee and the Mantel to read which I expected to get through (purely on the buzz I'd heard about them) - all expectations fulfilled.
I think the two I'm surprised at are the Waters and the Foulds, both of which I enjoyed but I did feel there were better books that missed out.
Those "better books" were, in my opinion -
Toibin, Hall and Harvey.
My list would have been -
Coetzee (on buzz - yet to confirm)
Mantel (on buzz - yet to confirm)
Mawer (really pleased about this one)
Hall (I think is better than many people seem to think)
Scudamore (I was impressed by this one)
Byatt or Harvey (I really couldn't decide between them)
But it is the first year for awhile that hasn't included one I definately disliked!!

I've just ordered The Glass Room. Think I'll pass on Byatt and Mantel on the basis of previous yawns. I'm disappointed that The Wilderness didn't make the cut but pleased about Summertime and The Little Stranger (that last one was a nice surprise - I thought it was an enjoyable read).

I had hoped for "Summertime", as this is my absolute favourite this year. Although I have to admit, I did not yet read "Wolf Hall" or the book by A. S. Byatt... I did also hope for "Brooklyn" and the Simon Mawer book (which did go through...). William Trevor's novel is not his best by far...
I liked the Sarah Hall and Samantha Harvey novels, but I guess that the shortlist is rather ok...
Well, if I am lucky a third time round in guessing the winner (like the last two years), there'll be at least two hattricks...

I'm surprised about the lack of enthusiasm for Byatt and Mantel here. Two of the best books of the past decade as far as I'm concerned. Wolf Hall is particularly resonant for those familiar with Bolt's A Man For All Seasons. The Little Stranger I thought was perhaps the worst book I've read on the longlist.

I haven't yet read the other three on the shortlist, but I'm very excited about the Coetzee from reviews that I've read, and the Foulds and Mawer novels sound interesting.

I'm pleased the judges didn't screw up by leaving off Byatt or Mantel. One of those two will win.

Funhouse, there was a lot of enthusiasm for Wolf Hall in the Booker Speculation thread in General Discussion (from before it even made the longlist).

I'm really, really disappointed The Wilderness didn't make the cut - it was one of my two top choices for the prize. But the other was The Glass Room, so I still have some hope. And while it doesn't surprise me that Heliopolis didn't make the cut, I wish it had - and I am really disappointed that The Quickening Maze did.

The bulk of the list seems to consist of some very readable (to me) books that I enjoyed but with mixed feelings in each.

It is an open year and for once I'm not too disappointed that any of the titles made it through. I'm very glad the Glass Room made it as I've been recommending it to friends and colleagues since it came out. I would have liked the Trevor to have made it and I do think it is considerably better than the Foulds which was the least satisfactory of the shortlist titles for me. So I'm going down the bookies tomorrow to place a bet on that one as most years of late my least favourite has won.

Totally agree about The Glass Room - my favourite on the list, and think its scope, sensitivity and plotting means it deserves to scoop the prize. Never predicted the winner yet however, so not holding my breath... would also be pleased if Coetzee won for his beautiful and elliptical book.

Wasn't keen on the Faulds either - a little too self conscious for my taste.

I was sorry not to see Heliopolis on the shortlist...

So I've put my money on Mawer ('cos I want him to win) and Coetzee ('cos I think he might).