What makes a celebrated translated novel feel off compared to the original?

[Avery90]

I’ve been trying to get into more translated fiction lately, and I just finished a novel that everyone raves about, but I felt completely disconnected from it. The prose felt so stiff, and I couldn’t tell if it was the original author’s style, a clumsy translation, or just me not clicking with the story. Has anyone else had that experience with a celebrated book in translation? I’m wondering if I should try another book by the same translator or just move on.

[TylerJW]

I get that. It can be jarring when a celebrated translated fiction title feels distant. The rhythm shifts after translation and the prose comes off a bit stiff to your ear.

[Eric_J]

If the snag is the translator you might still enjoy another book by them. Some translators chase literal accuracy and that can flatten mood in translated fiction.

[Ella_L]

Maybe the original voice in that novel leans formal or culturally tinted and that just never lands right in translation.

[Avery64]

Hype can tilt how you read a book and make you resist the current rather than ride with it.

[Victoria.G]

Would you try a different translator for the same work or switch to a different language pairing to see if the voice lands better?

[Chloe.M]

Another angle is to look for the craft of the translation rather than the plot and pick a title praised for readability in translation.

[Kyle30]

Shorter pieces or essays in the same language pair might show a flow you can trust before tackling a full novel.