"Farlig midsommar" - Tove Jansson

This is the 5th entry of the main Moomin series

Go to full description

€24.77

Quantity

szt.

Availability:

Last ones

Shipping time: 72 hours

Description

"Farlig midsommar"—or Moominsummer Madness in the original Swedish!

"Farlig midsommar" (Moominsummer Madness) is the fifth novel in the main Moomin series by Finnish author Tove Jansson, first published in 1954.

"The summer passed quickly but joyfully. I wrote a book about the Moomins and am considering calling it Dangerous Midsummer."

After a natural disaster, the Moomin family finds themselves drifting in a floating theater, unaware of what it actually is. The only creature still aboard is an old theater rat named Emma. On Midsummer Night (Midsommar), the group scatters in different directions, embarking on various adventures before finally reuniting for a dramatic premiere performance. A happy ending, of course. I’m in the middle of illustrating it and hope to send it to you before the summer holidays.

This is how Tove Jansson summarized the plot of her new book in a letter to her friend Eva Konikoff:

Moominsummer Madness is a comedy of errors, loosely inspired by Shakespeare—a Midsummer Night’s Dream filled with surprises, transformations, and a play within a play: Moominpappa’s hexameter drama The Lion’s Bride, or The Bonds of Kinship, a direct nod to the amateur performance in Shakespeare’s work.

The theme of a family separated by fate only to be joyfully reunited is a classic literary motif, forming the backbone of both Farlig Midsommar and Moominpappa’s play.

At the heart of this Midsummer adventure lies the idea of allowing dreams and desires to take shape in reality—creating the right conditions for being true to oneself.

The writer and critic Bo Carpelan analyzed the stylistic elements and ethical backdrop of the novel, concluding that "it is a terrifyingly funny book that children could just as well gift to their parents." This sentiment was echoed by critics across the board—Farlig Midsommar is a story for everyone.

The original Moomin series in Swedish

Level B2

This is the 5th entry in the main Moomin series

Why Should You Read This Book in Swedish?

Timeless stories have a stronger impact when read in their original language.
This is the original edition from the Finnish publisher.
The book includes the author's original illustrations.
It is beautifully published, featuring a fabric spine and embossed details.
A perfect gift idea!
A great read for children who speak Swedish.

Children's Books?

With Det osynliga barnet (Tales from Moominvalley), the discussion about Tove Jansson as a children's author gained momentum. Critics unanimously debated the appropriate age of her audience.

In 1963, Stockholms Tidningen awarded Jansson the Finland-Swedish cultural prize for her short story collection.

Per Olov Sundman wrote that Tove’s stories “are not merely fairy tales for children.” With “all their inventiveness, poetic softness, whimsical and sometimes macabre accents,” they are also a read for older audiences. He described Tales from Moominvalley as “a collection of stimulating stories for adults.”

Perfect gift!

Could there be a better gift for a Moomin fan than the entire collection of adventures featuring the fantastic creatures of Moominvalley?

The books from the Finnish publisher Förlaget make a perfect gift for a loved one—or for yourself! They are beautifully published:

Featuring fabric, linen-bound spines
Preserving the author’s original illustrations
With a sturdy, hardcover design that is wonderfully tactile

Despite common assumptions, the books were originally written with an adult audience in mind. However, over the years, they have gained a devoted following among children as well. After all, Moomin stories have the power to captivate and delight everyone!

Tove Jansson, a Finnish writer, painter, illustrator, and comic artist.

She made her debut at the age of 14, and a year later, her comic The Story of the Lovelorn Larvae, Kropelli and Fabian was published. Always eccentric, she changed schools, dropped out of university, and knew she wanted to be a painter. The Moomin saga began with the creation of Sniff in 1940. From then on, Jansson wrote several children's books, novels for adults, and painted hundreds of artworks. She celebrated her successes by buying herself hats.

She claimed that she identified most with Snufkin, as he enjoyed being alone with himself.