The Guard

Valvoja

You are being watched.

An art museum has opened a sculpture exhibition, featuring pieces that each depict a person. Meanwhile, the museum guard sits on her bench, observing the visitors.

‘I specifically wanted to include sculpture. I thought it was a really strong metaphor for human relationships: that just as stone is shaped and carved and sculpted, we perhaps shape each other and ourselves in those relationships.’
— Maisku Myllymäki about THE GUARD in Suomen kuvalehti magazine

This engaging upmarket novel about insomnia, a museum guard, an art exhibition, and an intense love affair—exploring themes of paranoia and the power of art and social media—is just 302 pages. Once you’ve finished, you’ll immediately want to start over!

In The Guard, Myllymäki evokes a tense atmosphere in which the reader cannot be sure whether or not the narrator is reliable or whether justice will be served. But one thing is for sure: after reading The Guard, you’ll never see museums the same way again. And the ending, it’ll blow you away.

Myllymäki’s first novel Holly was shortlisted by Helsingin Sanomat for the Best Debut Novel Prize in 2021.

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Material

English sample and synopsis
Full Finnish pdf

Praise

‘The author almost strips people on social media. It’s embarrassingly easy to recognize yourself in the text. The Guard is a cleverly constructed whole, but with room for surprises – right up to the last page. It is smooth, entertaining and full of substance. A welcome and important snapshot of our time!’ — Helena Ruuska, Helsingin sanomat newspaper

‘Compelling, current, layered & enigmatic.’ — Anne Puumala, Ilkka Pohjalainen newspaper

‘The author has a keen eye for detail and the skill to translate observations into smoothly flowing words. Myllymäki’s depictions of us humans, both in the art museum’s halls and beyond, are almost hauntingly accurate.
With sharp wit, she also critiques social media and how it gradually changes everything around us. An art exhibition benefits from the ability to take striking selfies for social media—did it even exist if it isn’t visible in as many posts as possible?’ —Leena Reikko, Kulttuuritoimitus

‘Myllymäki’s language is carefully crafted and elaborate, as we have come to expect from her, even to the point of being polished, and the story is surprising. How far can supervising – in all its various implications – go?’ — Kulttuuri kukoistaa Literary blog

‘Myllymäki’s novel is at the same time perplexing and delightful. (…) Psychological insights are sharp and the language is refreshing.’ — Helsingin Sanomat newspaper on Maisku Myllymäki’s debut Holly

‘Holly could even be compared to Ian McEwan’s Saturday, which is probably the most accurate observation of detail in literary history. Myllymäki creates concise prose that hypnotises the reader.’ — Kauppalehti newspaper on Myllymäki’s debut Holly