The Premise of The Extinction of Irena Rey

In her satirical debut novel, The Extinction of Irena Rey, Jennifer Croft, an international Booker Prize-winning translator, unfolds a compelling narrative that brings to light the often overlooked yet crucial role of translators in literature. The story focuses on eight translators who are tasked with translating the work of the world-renowned Polish author, Irena Rey. Set at the author’s home near the primeval Bialowieza Forest, the novel opens up with a peculiar scenario that evolves into a thrilling tale.

Questions of Translation and Authorship

Central to this narrative are the controversial and inherently political questions surrounding translation. Croft, known for her advocacy in recognizing translators’ contributions, uses this novel to highlight the collaborative nature of translation. The translators, referred to by their languages of translation, are depicted as wholly devoted to elevating Rey’s work, despite being overshadowed by her. Croft underscores the ephemeral nature of translations compared to the ‘eternity’ of the original works, through the perspective of the Spanish translator, who narrates the story.

Mysterious Disappearance and Fractured Reality

The narrative takes a sinister turn when Irena Rey mysteriously disappears, leaving the translators scrambling to uncover her whereabouts. Over seven tumultuous weeks, they delve into a series of clues that lead them deeper into paranoia and confusion. Croft employs a uniquely beguiling structure, presenting the story as an autofictional memoir narrated by Spanish and translated by English. The layered storytelling, rife with vicious prefaces and mocking footnotes, questions the reliability of any single version of events.

Deconstructing the Myth of the Author-Genius

Through a high-concept and high-tension plot, Croft dismantles the traditional deification of authors, posing translated books as co-creations rather than mere replicas. Her novel is a mischievous and disorienting journey that leaves the reader questioning the true nature of authorship and translation. The Extinction of Irena Rey thus emerges as a thought-provoking and darkly humorous exploration of the complexities inherent in the world of literary translation.