First published 1931
Vaino sits in his classroom as news arrives that will change everything. The Finnish Revolution has begun, and his country fights to break free from Russian control. As a student caught in the upheaval of World War I, Vaino watches his homeland transform around him. The old stories his grandmother told him about Finnish heroes and ancient legends suddenly feel urgent and real. Russian soldiers patrol his streets. His teachers speak in whispers. His friends disappear to join the fight. Vaino must choose between the safety of his books and the dangerous path toward freedom. The tales of his ancestors echo in his mind as he witnesses his nation's birth. This is the story of a young man discovering what it means to be Finnish when Finland itself is being born. Vaino learns that sometimes the greatest battles are fought not just with weapons, but with the courage to believe in something larger than yourself.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, war, coming-of-age
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
Setting: Finland, Russia
Period: World War I
273 pages · Hardcover · E.P. Dutton