Summer Fishing in Lapland

I thoroughly enjoyed this whimsical YA and adult fantasy/folklore/fairytale story. A story of summer fishing in Lapland, true. But not entirely, and so much more! Suspend a bit of belief, go with the flow and all will be explained in the end. Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Summer Fishing in Lapland is a beautifully translated magical story.

If you are looking for something quirky to read then I recommend "Summer Fishing in Lapland" by Juhani Karila. Definitely refreshingly alternative, it gives you an insight into life into Lapland - lots of fish, mythical creatures and a curse that needs to be broken!

There is a lovely bubbly sense to this translated Finnish novel, which to me suggests that the particular tone of the source novel might be quite difficult to render into English. The translator (Lola Rogers) has an initially difficult task in as much as this is a novel full of unexplained folklore roaming the unloved endless frozen swampland of Stupid Eastern Lapland (not to be confused with Exciting Western Lapland with its ski resorts, or Exotic Northern Lapland with the Saami). That gag opens the book from a pixieish omniscient narrator who we don't see again til the end but sets up a droll tone to what on paper looks like a grim bit of modern fantasy horror. It is anything but.

Elina Ylijaako has to return to her hometown once a year to catch a pike from a particular pond, or else something bad will happen. Unfortunately in this case she fails on her first attempt and things get increasingly complex. Following her is Policewoman Janatuinen, who believes she has committed a murder and has to brace the swamp to try and capture her. The kind of swamp that there is a border guard for, who tells you that all of your insurance will default if you travel into those mosquito-infested lands (the commitment to detail, particularly about mosquitos is a central core of the tone of this book). For Elina the supernatural is every day, for Janatuninen, not so much - though she is in a Nordic mystery novel and so stoicism and slow can-do attitude are boiled into her character. And we slowly unravel why Elina must catch the pike, if she committed the murder, and if there is anyone sane in the town.

As mentioned above this totally could have been told as supernatural horror, and in many ways it is a sliver away from DC's Swamp Thing (ut basically has a character that is Swamp Thing in it). But the droll humour and increasingly bizarre scenarios bounce against our two stoical leads it conjures up a picture of these badlands, and the kind of folk magic and supernatural that springs up there (including one incessant creature which is possibly the banalest creature ever - which takes a bit of clever construction). Summer Fishing In Lapland is quick but involving read, Karila has the right sense of tone and specificity to make this feel universal whilst talking about swamp creatures call The Knacky. Call it magical realism if you want, though I'd just call it droll but compelling fantasy horror.

This is such a brilliant, weird little thing! I’m delighted that it pushes against genre borders, and that it stubbornly does its own thing. Don’t go in expecting a typical fantasy experience, or a typical literary one: this has a vibe of its own, which I found very charming. The vibes of countryside in Finland are immaculate, make me miss the place so much.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging mashup of folklore and magical realism. I felt like I was transported to northern Scandinavia. This is the perfect way to escape in your imagination and cool off on a hot summer day. I'll be recommending this book in the 14 July episode of my podcast 'The Library of Lost Time.'

Thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

I loved this book! It follows the story of Elina who has to fish for a magical pike every year to stay alive, surrounded by the threats of lapland's magic and curses. The supporting characters are lovable and the magical folklore weaving through the storyline is glorious.
To me, this was classic Pushkin Press - brilliantly written, whimsical, absolutely bonkers at some parts and compelling. Would recommend!