Hiromi Kawakami's speculative fiction novel, shortlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize, is titled:

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) Under the Eye of the Big Bird.

• Under the Eye of the Big Bird is a speculative fiction novel by Hiromi Kawakami, translated into English by Asa Yoneda, and was shortlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize.

• The novel imagines a post-human future, exploring evolution, extinction, and strange hybrid lifeforms with poetic and philosophical depth.

Information Booster:

• The novel was originally published in Japanese in 2016, and the English translation was released in January 2025.

• Known for blending literary fiction with speculative elements, Kawakami uses imaginative settings to examine human emotion and identity.

• The 2025 International Booker Prize shortlist featured six titles, all from independent publishers.

• The prize judges praised Kawakami’s work as “mind-expanding” for its fusion of science fiction with deeply human themes.

Additional Information (Why Other Options Are Incorrect):

• (B) The Nakano Thrift Shop – A slice-of-life novel by Kawakami, not speculative.

• (C) Strange Weather in Tokyo – A romantic literary novel by Kawakami.

• (D) The Ten Loves of Nishino – Another Kawakami novel, centered on relationships.

Booker Prize Facts:

• The Booker Prize was established in 1969 and is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the English-speaking world.

• The International Booker Prize was introduced in 2005, restructured in 2016 to honor a single book translated into English, with both the author and translator sharing the prize money.

• The prize celebrates literary excellence in global fiction and has helped promote the works of international authors and translators to a wider audience.

• Past winners include Han Kang, David Diop, Geetanjali Shree, and Jokha Alharthi.

• The award highlights the growing importance of translation in global literature.