Irena Rey’s translators have gathered to work on their translations for her latest book, but it becomes increasingly clear that things are not quite as they should be…and then Irena disappears.

The line between fun romp and batshit crazy is a tricky one to tread, but Croft manages it in this story that follows a bunch of cooped-up translators slowly losing the plot. I enjoyed it, even if I wasn’t quite sold on the ending which did get a bit…out of hand.

Croft is, of course, an extremely accomplished translator herself, and her ability to navigate the nuances of language shines through. She pokes gentle fun at the peculiarities of both authors and her fellow translators - one senses that her own experiences and encounters have provided plenty of inspiration - and there’s some good-natured ribbing of nationalities and the temperament of various languages.

I loved all the tidbits about the craft of translation and working as a translator. Through her characters, Croft brings in the various debates around the role of a translator - to stay true or to interpret and adapt? I very much enjoyed the increasingly passive-aggressive footnotes, which are amusing but also cleverly add to the chaos of the story.

A fun, slightly unhinged but cleverly-written story of a bunch of cooped-up translators slowly losing the plot…