Summary of Under the North Star
“Under the North Star” is the first book in a trilogy by Väinö Linna, with the second book titled “The Uprising” and the third “Reconciliation”. The series chronicles the lives of several generations of a Finnish family from the 1880s, through the First World War, the Finnish Civil War and independence from Russia (the focus of the second book), and the Second World War (the focus of the third book), extending into the 1950s.
Reasons to read Under the North Star
“Under the North Star” is regarded as a classic in Finland. It captures the transformations in Finnish society from the viewpoint of an ordinary Finnish family. Other themes of the book are the harsh living conditions in the Finnish countryside, tensions between landowners and farmers, and the love story between Askeli and Elina. Väinö Linna is considered one of the most significant Finnish writers of the 20th century, particularly for this trilogy and for his novel “The Unknown Soldier”. The third book in the “Under the North Star” trilogy was honoured with the prestigious Nordic Council’s Literature Prize.
Setting: Finland
Book set in Finland: “Under the North Star” is set in the fictional village of Pentinkulma, which is believed to be modelled on Honkola in Urjala, on the northern shore of Lake Kortejärvi.
Original title: Täällä Pohjantähden alla
Year of publication: 1959 (first part) – 1962
Nr of pages: 398
