Tove Jansson was an extraordinary writer. Her spare prose evokes the Finnish winter in this story about two very different women who become part of each other's lives. Both are changed, not necessarily for the better. This isn't a feel-good book. It asks a lot of questions, the main one being, what is better, to be truthful, or to be kind? Katri Kling is the most honest person I've ever run across in literature. Anna Aemelin is a victim of her own fuzzy thinking and kindness. Katri decides that she would like to live in Anna Aemelin's big house, and she devises a scheme to get herself and her brother, Mats, moved in. It isn't, in her opinion, a one-sided arrangement. She is giving her own peculiar form of value to the relationship.If you haven't read any of Tove Jansson's adult novels, this might not be a good one to start with, as it is very dark. However, I think it is one of her best novels. Introduced by Ali Smith with O-Level enthusiasm, including vapid statements and poor paragraphing. Still, I was willing to give the book a chance, however it crashed and burned with the sophomoric statement: “Mats has no secrets. That’s why he’s so mysterious.” The narrative takes place in a Finnish town that’s snow bound about 11 months of the year (no wonder everyone hates everyone) and focuses on Katri Kling (math wiz and general misanthrope) and her brother Mats, who might or might not be retarded simply because he says little. Katri manipulates her way into the house of a local artist and children’s book illustrator with ... what? A happy ending? Given snow, darkness, and insular living, probably not.
What do You think about The True Deceiver (1982)?
dark, dark, dark and creepy. But not on the surface. Still thinking this one over.
—charliephillips14
This book was very evocative, great atmosphere and well-drawn characters.
—lucky
This is a sad and melancholy little book, but quite beautiful.
—PBowden
