The True Deceiver, By Tove Jansson
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Finnish writer and artist, Tove Jansson, is best known in this country as the creator of the Moomin stories, but her novels for adults are no less distinctive. Since her death in 2001, the author's work has become more widely available in English translation.
The True Deceiver, her third novel for adults, translated by Thomas Teal, proves a delightfully dark winter's tale. Set in an isolated Nordic hamlet, the novel tracks an intense relationship between two strong-minded women. Katri Kling is a blunt young woman who lives with her "simple" brother Mats, and has no time for social niceties. Living away from the village is Anna Aemelin, an elderly children's book illustrator whose great talent is to reproduce the flora and fauna of the forest floor.
Early in the novel, Katri decides that Anna's big house in the woods should be hers. After staging a fake break-in, she persuades Anna to take her on as a housekeeper. Soon Katri and Mats are running every aspect of the illustrator's life from weather-proofing her windows to managing her business accounts.
Although Jansson's book isn't a thriller, there's a tension to the prose which suggests that blood might be spilt. As the winter takes its toll, the two women find themselves locked in a prolonged psychological battle: Katri's cynicism tempered by Anna's more sentimental mind-set. But who's taking advantage of whom, and which woman has a better grasp of reality is up for debate. Parallels between the author's own artistic struggles and those of Anna's lend this novel exta allure.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments