🌟 "The Witch" by Marie NDiaye

Translated from French into Jordan Stump. My very last International Booker Prize 2026 read. I love this one, I'm glad it made it to the shortlist. It has a terribly low average rating on Goodreads and I haven't seen much excited feedback about it yet, so let me add to the small pool of positive reviews. The Witch is banal and magical. It's a family drama in which we follow a woman dealing with a failing marriage, the divorce of her parents, her uncomfortable family in law, the nosiness of the neighborhood tiran, and raising her twin daughters. On top of that she has, like all women in her family line, a magical gift that she passes on to her own daughters. I'm not sure how to hype this book up. The story within is so everyday, but the closer you look, the more witchcraft you'll see. With beautiful prose the reader can look at family dynamics, miscommunication, the fear of being left behind, misdirection of emotions, womanhood, insecurity, simply rolling with the punches of life and…