"On Earth as it is Beneath," Viswanathan's English translation of Ana Paula Maia's 2017 novel, "Assim na Terra como embaixo da Terra"

[Vivek Pinto]

Dear Friends,

Greetings

This (please see below) may interest those who are fluent in Portuguese too.  The book is longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026

"Title: On Earth as It Is Beneath (Charco Press, 101 pp., paperback, $17.95) by Ana Paula Maia; translated by Padma Viswanathan is a short nightmare that’s hard to shake.

Summary: "A ruthless man named Melquíades lords over a penal colony in a remote, haunted land. The government abandoned the place and in its absence, Melquíades, who has spent his entire career 'containing the evil behind the walls,' took over. But Melquíades is evil himself. He enjoys hunting and killing the men imprisoned in the colony. Between the unremitting violence of the feral prison and its inmates, and death’s constant presence, survival is a challenge.

This novella is so short that saying more or breaking down its characters would start spoiling things, but what matters is that it all works. It is inventive and unflinching. And while the atmosphere is heavy with brutality and murder, Maia’s prose offers the perfect counterbalance — it is beautiful and gripping. Here, a morning isn’t just bright, it shines “with an impenetrable whiteness that dissolved the boundaries between heaven and earth.” That balance makes this a standout. “On Earth As It Is Beneath” is a must read for those who like their poetry written in blood."

Best regards,

Vivek