The Moomins, a family of trolls, have appeared in my life in various ways; I vaguely remember having read (or having been read) one of the novels as a young child - as an older child I remember the animated series on television. I happened across it by accident and spent much time in enjoyable confusion about the names and natures of the seemingly infinite cast of characters. This year I decided I wanted to find out more than my hazy memories could tell me and in the process stumbled across the fact that Tove Jansson had written and drawn a Moomin strip comic for a British newspaper and I acquired the first volume of the collected strip comics and read it. I was pleasantly surprised to find it densely but gently satirical as well as pleased to find that the bizarre imagination (particularly for characters who are mythic or completely invented creatures) was most definitely as I recalled.This meant I still didn't know what the novels were like, but encouraged by the high quality of the comic strip and my memories, I decided to give Comet in Moominland a go - selected because it was the first written (though not first published, I think) of the Moomin novels. It turned out to be a delightful, pleasant book, strong on imagined characters and incidental mystery - what is a Snufkin? Just how much difference is there between a Troll and a Snork? Everybody and everything is introduced blithely as if common-place without any real requirement for detailed explanation. Everybody knows what a Hattifattener is, really - description is almost superfluous.The plot is epic compared to those in the volume of comic strips I read - the fate of Moomin Valley (and the rest of the world, really) is at stake and an arduous journey is undertaken to request knowledge and help in saving the day.The gentle satire is present but in lesser quantity - a philosopher who states that everything is Unnecessary, is never-the-less rather keen on creature comforts (all the more so because he is a creature - a Muskrat)and not being destroyed by the impact of a celstial body. Not keen enough to actually help avert the crisis, however. The scientists that Moomintroll appeals to for information and help take no interest, but pour out all their knowledge to the Snork Maiden when asked about their work...Contrast of characters is also used to give a Message about the moral and physical dangers of too much attachment to physical belongings (a sentiment expressed in the comic strip, too). The characters are also used to promote the virtues of friendship and familial love. Moomintroll's faith that his mother, Moominmama will fix everything if only they can get back to her in time, is touching - hasn't there been a time in all our lives when we had absolute faith that Mum could resolve any problem satisfactorily? I suppose it is not too much of a spoiler to reveal that Moomintroll, friends and family, The Valley of the Moomins and even the rest of the planet survive to return in more books; I look forward to reading them.I would say that comparing Comic Strip vol.1 to Novel 1, the strip has just a slight edge in my opinion because it is more densely packed with satire, but that a greater focus on plot is suited to the novel as a form, so perhaps each should be enjoyed for their own merits and comparison should not be dwelled on too much.Now, if only some-one would tell me what order the rest of the novels are meant to be read in....
All I knew of the Moomins was an entry on an article on Cracked.com, and I was suitably freaked out enough to further seek them out.I'm glad I did.A Finnish comic by Tove Jannson, Moomin contains all the innocence and joy of a kids' comic with the subtle darkness of a Lovecraft short story. Perhaps I'm being hyperbolic in making that comparison, but the whole universe the Moomins inhabit is possessed of a creeping horror, a sense of something lurking underneath the surface.The plot in this quick-read: a comet is hurtling towards the Valley as we bear witness to the creatures' various reactions to the end of days.The Moomins, as it were, are more observers than doers. They are us, the undecided, noting how everyone else approaches the end of the world until the very last second.To me, that's powerful storytelling. At times, I forgot there even was an approaching comet, as the Moomins idly explored the ocean floor--dried up from the comet's heat--or danced at an apocalyptic party to be polite. There's not much to an apocalypse story when EVERYONE is panicking. Though that may be the prevailing mood, everyone reacts in their own unique way, and Jansson creates this sense of child-like mystery by zeroing in on these details.I'm apparently a sucker for European comics: Tintin, the work of Jason, and now Moomin. I would like to read more of the last before I declare myself a fan. But having only read this, I'm excited for more. It's a delightful read and, given enough thought, a deeply satisfying one, too.
What do You think about Comet In Moominland (1986)?
I’m on page 52 of the 173 page narrative and I can’t make myself continue. My initial impression was quite positive — the table of contents is fun, the Moomin gallery of characters is darling, the drawings throughout the book are quite nice, and the premise of the story did seem interesting. But it hasn’t turned out to be a positive reading experience for me….Over the past week I’ve picked up the book, read a page or two, and set it back down. The story just seems really long and drawn out. Plus as I mentioned in an earlier status update, it was getting annoying that most of Sniff’s dialogue lines were “screamed.” Couldn’t he have yelled, shouted, or called out — you know, just to change things up a bit? Not sure if this was a translation issue or if Jansson used scream all the time in the original text.There are plenty more Moomin books, so I suppose the comet did not destroy Earth, the Moomins, and the other inhabitants. Sadly, the Moomins are not for me.
—Beth Sniffs Books
A fun read. Jansson creates a jovial set of offbeat characters who are fun to tag along with. The travel companions' adventures are mostly pleasantly quirky with flashes of brilliance, enough to excite anticipation for later books in the series, by which time hopefully Jansson has elevated the randomly, sprightly whimsical into the bizarrely, wistfully, comically melancholic--which seems to be what she strives after here, but only occasionally fully achieves. The characters in this first (some say second) volume remain one-dimensional, fun but flat. Given a bit more time, with less rush to introduce the full cast, perhaps each, or at least a few, can be developed beyond a single gag, fun as those gags are here. Admittedly, it is "only" a children's book.One of the flashes of comical brilliance comes with the opening line:The Moomin family had been living for some weeks in the valley where they had found their house* after the dreadful flood (which is another story). *It was painted blue. Moominhouses usually are. Translator.Another wonderfully bizarre joke is the volume that the Hemulen is found reading: Moths of the Eastern Hemisphere--Their Behavior and Misbehavior.
—joey
Istället för att recensera den här boken så ska jag ge ett citat ifrån den som jag tycker både visar på det unika sätt Tove Jansson skriver på, och på hur det skenbart banala och oskyldiga i hennes böcker kan betyda så väldigt, väldigt mycket mer:”Hej, sa Sniff. Jag har hittat en alldeles egen väg. Den ser farlig ut.””Hur farlig?” frågade mumintrollet.”Jag skulle närmast säga enormt farlig”, svarade det lilla djuret Sniff allvarsamt.”Då måste vi ha smörgåsar med oss, sa mumintrollet, och saft” …”Här! Jag har hittat vägen! sa Sniff. Nå? Vad säger du? Ser den inte farlig ut? Du får gå före.”Mumintrollet gick in i det gröna mörkret, mycket försiktigt. Det blev alldeles tyst omkring dem.”Du måste titta efter farligheter åt alla håll”, viskade Sniff.”Jag kan inte titta åt alla håll på en gång, invände mumintrollet. Du får titta bakåt för det hinner jag inte med.””Nej, nej, inte bakåt, sa Sniff ängsligt. Det är mycket värre när någon kommer efter en än när man möter någon. Det här går på din risk!””Nå, gå före då”, sa mumintrollet.”Det vill jag inte heller, skrek Sniff. Kan vi inte gå bredvid varandra?”Så gick de tätt bredvid varandra, längre och längre in i skogen. Den blev bara grönare och mörkare och först gick vägen uppåt och sedan gick den nedåt och den blev smalare och smalare och till slut fanns det ingen väg alls, bara mossa och ormbunkar.”En väg ska ta vägen någonstans, sa mumintrollet. Det här är fel. Den får inte sluta så där bara.”
—Mänsomläser
