Loukko by 
Last week marked the Finnish publication of Jingle Land (Mantelimaa, WSOY 2015), Miina Supinen’s frightening, satirical and touching examination of winter holidays gone awry. The novel is set in an over-the-top theme park ruled by a man obsessed with two things: Christmas and his childhood crush, a former pop star named Molli.
Supinen was recently interviewed by her publisher WSOY about her genre-bending style and her inspiration behind Jingle Land. See the Finnish-language video here.
“While we try to make Christmas into a time of peace, relaxation, love and light, it is also a horrifying carnival of shopping. A person can become so deeply confused by this paradox that the end result is downright macabre; I created this adult fairy tale from this perspective,” Supinen said.
“Like Tim Burton’s films, Jingle Land addresses real-life issues in its own reality,” Supinen continued. “There are comedic elements, but also deep and painful issues and stories of human fates.”
Supinen said that writing Jingle Land was inspired by her own observations and frustrations during the holiday season.
“I have the same Christmas traumas as everyone else; it’s this horrific theatrical display done for the kids and for social media…even if everything else goes right, the moms are often so exhausted from fussing around and cleaning that they are practically sobbing by the time Christmas Eve rolls around,” she said.
“At my family we have a sleepover on the living room floor and let the kids snack on chocolate. Otherwise is goodbye, Christmas for me,” she added.
Contact the Agency for a full English synopsis and excerpt of Jingle Land, published in the celebratory English-language issue of the Finnish Granta last year. An English sample will be available in October.
RIGHTS SOLD: MIINA SUPINEN
Original publisher: FINLAND, WSOY
CZECH REPUBLIC, Nakladatelství Brána (Ray Girl)
DENMARK, Turbine (Ray Girl)
GERMANY, Suhrkamp (Ray Girl and Jelly Control)
Reading materials: Jingle Land
English excerpt
English synopsis
Finnish edition
Reading materials: Ray Girl
English sample
English synopsis
German edition
Finnish edition
Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com