Finnish novel in English shortlisted for Booker prize

The English translation of a Finnish novel Nälkävuosi by Aki Ollikainen (2012) is one of 13 books nominated as candidates for the Man Booker International prize. The Finnish novel in English is titled White Hunger and the publisher is Peirene Press. It has been translated by Emily and Fleur Jeremiah. The book is about the winter 1867-68, an exceptionally hard famine period in Finnish history.  Check the original news article in Helsingin Sanomat.

In 2013 Helsingin Sanomat asked its readers to vote for best Finnish novels of the 21st century and this book was on the 10th place. I have a vague memory that on some other such ”best books” list it would have been even higher, but was not able to find it again when writing this. In every case, the English translation offers a rare opportunity to read modern Finnish fiction that Finns themselves consider insightful even to those who have not yet mastered the language.

 

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