Kjell Westö Brings Helsinki’s Past to Life at Prima Vista
On 8 May at 5:30 p.m., Finnish-Swedish author Kjell Westö will speak at the Tartu Public Library. He is best known for his epic novels centred around Helsinki. The conversation will be moderated by Swedish literary scholar Esbjörn Nyström.
Born in Helsinki in 1961, Westö made his literary debut in 1986. He is a prominent voice in both Finnish literature and Swedish-language fiction. His work has earned him several prestigious awards, including the Finlandia Prize in 2006 and the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 2014. His novels have been translated into more than 20 languages, and many have been adapted for the stage, film, and television.
Westö frequently explores Helsinki across different eras and from various social perspectives. This approach was already evident in his breakthrough novel Drakarna över Helsingfors (Kites over Helsinki, 1996), the first volume of a tetralogy set in post-war Finland and Helsinki.
He has also depicted earlier periods in Helsinki’s history, such as in Where We Once Walked (Där vi en gång gått, Estonian edition 2011), which focuses on the brutal events of the 1918 Finnish Civil War, and Mirage 38 (Hägring 38, Estonian edition 2014), set in 1938 against the looming shadow of past and future wars.
In his most recent novel, Twilight 41 (Skymning 41, Estonian edition forthcoming in 2025), Westö turns to World War II, portraying the end of the Winter War and the fragile peace that followed from 1940 to 1941. Through the lives of journalist and war correspondent Henry Gunar and renowned actress Molly Timm, Westö captures the emotional and social tensions of the time—including the struggle to maintain love in the midst of uncertainty. As in many of his works, Helsinki itself becomes a central character, a living backdrop to history.
Due to its vivid depiction of an era marked by anxiety and upheaval, Twilight 41, published in Estonian by Eesti Raamat in Tõnis Arnover’s translation, feels hauntingly relevant even in 2025. In total, six of Westö’s novels and one short story collection have been translated into Estonian.
The event will take place in Swedish with simultaneous translation into Estonian. Books will be available for purchase at a special discount.
Supported by the Finnish Institute, the Finnish Literature Exchange (FILI), and Eesti Raamat publishing house.
Further information:
Tartu International Literary Festival Prima Vista
Linda Jahilo – linda.jahilo@luts.ee, +372 53 402168
