We are happy to share that two wonderful fiction titles have now found publishers in Hungary: Anneli Kanto’s 2021 sensation, novel The Rat Saint, was acquired by Metropolis Media, while Pauliina Rauhala’s bestselling novel Heavensong (2013) was sold to Luther.
Metropolis is a publisher of strong literary fiction, and has in the recent years acquired several titles from Finland, including Finlandia Prize nominee Matara by Matias Riikonen; the bestselling Fishing for the Little Pike by Juhani Karila; To My Brother by E. L. Karhu; and thriller Apogee by Piia Leino.
The Rat Saint was published in 2021, to overwhelming reception from critics and readers alike: the book sold over 25,000 copies in Finland altogether, and was among the most borrowed books in Helsinki Metropolitan Libraries for months. The novel was also nominated for the prestigious Runeberg Prize.
This Künstlerroman, set in the 16th century, is a lively plot-driven emancipation story of a young orphaned girl Peliina. When, by a sheer accident, Peliina is called in to help master painters to work on church frescoes, her journey as an artist – a profession unheard of in a small village, especially for a woman – begins. As the history of the world from Paradise and the Fall to the Final Judgment takes shape on the walls of the church, romance, envy, treachery, and crime occur, and a life reaches a turning point.
Luther Publishing House is the official organization of the Evangelical Church of Hungary that publishes fiction for adult and children, theology-related books, magazines, as well as provides media services.
Heavensong was a debut novel by Pauliina Rauhala which gained phenomenal commercial success upon its publication in 2013. Over 70,000 copies have been sold in Finland altogether, holding the distinction of being its publisher’s (Gummerus) best-selling debut novel. It was also chosen by literature bloggers as the best book of Finnish fiction in 2013.
The book tells a story about a loving couple, Vilja and Aleksi, who dreams about a brood of children. 9 years and four childbirths later, Vilja, however, feels exhausted and starts questioning the beliefs that have been so firmly embedded in both of them.
With its tangible details, Heavensong allows the reader to see the life of the religious community from inside. Its poetic language, which elevates the story to a new level, is deepened by the big themes: what is the ethical ground of parenthood, what are the good and bad sides of a religious community and how can you live with all the myths and expectations surrounding motherhood?
Congratulations to the authors for the deals!
