First part of Väinö Linna's trilogy, Under the Northen Star, is a bit confusing reading experiment. It's really slow and some times almost wearing stable, but still some how interesting. I don't know is it Linna's way to write or his accurate character description or what, but underneath a ordinary and prosaic there is a small tone, which makes you want to read more.
The novel starts when Jussi, a crofter of a local clergyman, examine a marsh going to build his croft on it. The old clergyman gives a premision and with his wife Alma his start to desiccate the marsh and clear fields. The croft is named as Koskela (koski=rapids, -la=common ending in place's names). The whole trilogy follows life's of Koskela's occupants.
The first part is truly prosaic, slow. Major events are among other things weddings, funerals, confirmations, births, common celebrations... In the beginning the novel tells the life of Jussi, but starts soon to follow the life of his son, Akseli. There is also some other important characters, like a self-educated socialist, taylor Halme and clergyman and his wife and crofter family of Kivivuori (kivi=rock, vuori=mountain), expecially the daughter Elina. Entire village of Pentinkulma (Pentti=Finnish man's name, -n=ending of genetive, kulma=corner) is filled with colourful people.
The first part doesn't work as a independent novel, there isn't enough happenings to that. It's like a introduction, a beginning for something bigger and darker. That promise can be seen in the last sentences of the novel, which end a beautiful wedding episode: "Finnish summer is beautiful. But short."
Mark: 8 1/2
