FACULTY NEWS | February 13, 2019
Lina Meruane
Lina Meruane’s novel, Seeing Red (Sangre en el ojo), received the Premio Valle Inclán Prize from the Society of Authors (United Kingdom) for translations into English of full-length Spanish language works of literary merit and general interest. The prize was awarded to its translator, Megan McDowell.
Seeing Red raises difficult questions about the line between love, pity, and sacrifice. Yet, there is a strain of dark humour running through the novel, including word play which rewards multiple readings. The distinctive style of the novel evokes Lina’s trauma, with sentences cut off mid-thought. Translator Megan McDowell expertly captures Meruane’s voice, making the brave decision not to make the text easier for an English reader.
Seeing Red has previously been awarded the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Prize (Mexico) and has been translated into Italian, German, Dutch, French and Portuguese in addition to English.