Suliko by Pirkko Saisio is running for the prestigious Nordic Council Literature Prize.
Wonderful news: Suliko by Pirkko Saisio has been nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize, representing Finland.
The Nordic Council Literature Prize is a prestigious yearly award founded in 1962 and aiming at fostering interest in the literature and the language of Nordic countries.
Suliko is a lyrical and intense novel where a disillusioned dictator reflects on his life on a cold New Year’s Eve. The only thing that seems to bring him comfort is Suliko, a song from his youth that has become a leitmotif throughout his entire life. The novel slips into flashbacks, describing how his idealism turned into something completely different, and the events flash him by until he can hardly recognize himself. In Finland Suliko is published by Siltala and the title was awarded the prestigious Runeberg Prize in 2025.
Pirkko Saisio is the author of the globally successful Helsinki Trilogy, and the great dame of Finnish literature, with a production ranging from novels to plays. Her Helsinki Trilogy made her the first contemporary Finnish author to join the Penguin Modern Classics list.
Congratulations to the author, and fingers crossed!