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Finnish authors abroad
Finnish authors abroad
An ambitious and experimental novel by an acclaimed author.
‘i waited for mother to come, she would come very soon; later i waited in parks and cafés and at metro stations: mother could after all appear anywhere and any moment i was afraid of not being at the right place at the right time; and the wind inside me turned every time i thought of the meeting when i saw mothers with their small children, my heart was so heavy that it couldn’t say a word: their proximity was perfect, incomprehensible’
The protagonist of this mosaic novel is an anonymous woman on the verge of adulthood who lives with her father and twin sister in an unnamed city. She is haunted by confusion about her origins.
She receives no support from her father, who is struggling with his own loss. Meanwhile, her mother is only a “vague ancient word”. But the siblings manage to make a peculiar friend, a young man who brightens their days.
Anatomy of a Storm is a rich, timeless, ambiguous work about an emptiness that cannot be filled and the wind that blows where it will.
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‘The end of Anatomy of a Storm is stunning. It’s a beautifully written emotional state that lingers in the mind. It is dark, eternal and yet hopeful. Absolutely stunning! […] This novel can be read many times and in many ways. […] And if I were in the Finlandia Prize jury this year, Anatomy of a Storm would be on my shortlist. It’s definitely an outstanding work of fiction!’ — Kirsin book club
‘If Dess Terentjeva’s three verse novels for young people are suitable for adults to read as well, Anatomy of a Storm is similarly recommended for young people. It deals with the themes of growing up, love and eternal change in an understandable, concise and profound way. In a way it echoes the classics of world literature, starting with Ovid’s Metamorphoses.’ — Vesa Rantama, Helsingin Sanomat newspaper
‘The work successfully blurs the boundaries not only between poetry, prose and fragmentary literature, but also between literature that portrays young people’s experiences and literature that is artistically ambitious.’ — Miikka Laihinen, Turun Sanomat newspaper
