"White Sea Karelia, also called Viena, is located just south of the White Sea. Viena is famed for its epic Kalevala poetry. White Sea Karelia has always straddled the divide between Russia and Finland, between East and West. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution in 1917 and of Finland's Civil War of 1918, the Viena region was ravaged, squeezed between greater forces.

This is the historical setting of Finland's best-selling author's, Laila Hietamies', first novel published in English translation Red Moon over White Sea.

Viena's fells are huge, its forests gentle and its waters glitter clean. Its people love their land.

A son of Viena, Ilja Huotari, once lost to emigration to Canada, returns a rich man to build a house never seen before in Viena. His granddaughter Anna-Liisa grows into a beautiful woman whose future holds much promise. Revolution and warfare bring radical change."

Aspasia Books 2000

To the BookCrossing Convention 2024 in Tampere, have a nice weekend!

The courier wants to know where Laila - the Queen of the book selling numbers at one time - ends up.

The book is travelling with me back to Switzerland;)