The national newspaper Helsingin Sanomat has recently published two lists of the 100 Best Books from Finland. One of the lists consists in the Critics’ Selection of 100 Best Books, as picked by critics and literary professionals, while the other included the Readers’ Selection of 100 Best Books as picked by readers.
As you may have already read, the The Critics’ Selection list crowned The Red Book of Farewells by Pirkko Saisio as the best and most important Finnish book of the millennium, and readers are convinced, too, as the title is in their top 30 (#28), but both critics and readers have selected plenty of other familiar names and faces.
The international bestseller Beasts of the Sea by Iida Turpeinen is topping the Readers’ Selection list, and is ranked #16 in the Critics’ Selection list. Readers have chosen it as their #1 and called it a “crazily stunning story and at the same time a so touchingly serious reminder of what mankind does to the rest of the natural world without thinking of the consequences at all.”
Ice by Ulla-Lena Lundberg is another top favourite for both readers and critics: the book is ranked #2 in the Readers’ Selection, and #6 in the Critics’ Selection. It comes as no surprise, as Ice was already chosen as readers’ all-time favourite Finlandia winner last year. Ice is the story of a young pastor and his family in a remote community, and it has been described as touching, quietly epic, and entertaining.
Coming in strong at #4 in the Readers’ Selection and #14 in the Critics’ is Fishing For the Little Pike by Juhani Karila. Publisher Nora Varjama, who reviewed for the Critics’ Selection, has stated that the book is “a little Finnish folly. You can only find it in literature. An insane gem, and even more insane is the fact that Finns have taken this on as their own.” A crowd favourite, the book is also an international hit, and has already travelled to 20 language territories.
In the Reader’s Selection’s top 10 we also find Margarita by Anni Kytömäki (#7), another bestselling Finlandia-winning title, ranked at #75 in the Critics’ list. Kytömäki’s production in its entirety is shown a lot of love: Goldheart is in the top 20 of the Readers’ Selection, Mirabilis in the top 50, and Stone Weaver is ranked at #81. Critics too, include several of Kytömäki’s books in the list: they rank Goldheart even higher than Margarita, at #55.
Destruction by Iida Rauma is high up on both lists: readers place in their top 20 at #15, and critics in their top 10 at #7. Destruction, a story of school violence and historical, personal and natural destruction, was a literary sensation and won the Finlandia in 2020. It has already travelled to four language territories and the Swedish edition, out with Ramus, took Sweden by storm.
Pirkko Saisio is featured with two titles in both lists. On top of her The Red Book of Farewells, both lists rank Passion among their favourites. Passion is ranked at #5 in the Readers’ Selection, and #21 in the Critics’ Selection.
Trench Road by Kari Hotakainen is also featured in both lists: readers place it at #30, and critics at #58. The novel tells a story of one Matti Virtanen, whose life is changed by a single strike, after which his wife and daughter leave him. Losing his family breaks the spine of Matti’s existence. He feels he needs to gain his family back, and starts fulfilling his wife’s dream of a house. His obsession drives him to excesses, and soon there is no turning back. Trench Road was awarded the most prestigious literary award in the country, Finlandia Prize, as well as the Nordic Council Literature Prize.
The other HLA titles on the Readers’ Selection of 100 Best Books are:
#7 Anneli Kanto: The Rat Saint
#25 Juha Hurme: Headland
#27 Riikka Pelo: Our Earthly Life
#49 Pauliina Rauhala: Heavensong
#65 Merja Mäki: Before the Birds
#69 Kari Hotakainen: The Human Part
The other HLA titles on the Critics’ Selection of 100 Best Books are:
#10 Mikko Rimminen: Park Life
#20 Katriina Huttunen: The Placenta of Grief
#27 Marisha Rasi-Koskinen: REC
#41 Marjo Niemi: The Mother of All Losses
#44 Harry Salmenniemi: Texas, Scissors
#48 Harry Salmenniemi: Dolphin Meditation
#49 E.L. Karhu: To My Brother
#53 Vilja-Tuulia Huotarinen: Light Light Light
#59. Selja Ahava: The Woman Who Loved Insects
#60 Pirkko Saisio: The Backlight
#66 Anu Kaaja: Katie-Kate
#69 Ellen Strömberg: We’ll Just Ride Past
#77 Leena Krohn: Hotel Sapiens
#78 Anu Kaaja: Metamorphoslip
#95 Niillas Holmberg: Halla Helle
#96 Matias Riikonen: Matara
Congratulations to our authors, and don’t miss out on these titles!