Due to an old curse, Elina returns to Finnish Lapland each summer - she has three days to catch the pike in a specific pond, but this year she must also contend with uncooperative mythical creatures and a police detective on her trail…

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, but with the strong magical realism element, it is a book that you have to be in the right mood for - as much as I hate using quirky as a descriptor, I can’t think of a better word. It’s an easy-going read, as long as you’re willing to lean into the story as it unfolds, because it does get a bit…weird. The deadpan Nordic humour (right up my alley) suited the fantastical story well.

I loved all the folklore and bog creatures that crop up - I wasn’t at all familiar with any of these myths, and this was a fun way to learn about them. It’s an atmospheric novel, and Karila really brings the folklore to life within the surrounding landscape and nature. These aren’t just old stories told to children to get them to behave, they’re an integral part of everyday life for Elina and the locals. The police detective from the south and her disbelief (and eventual exasperated resignation) made a good foil for all the folkloric goings-on.

A quirky, atmospheric story of reckoning with one’s past which brings the folklore of Finnish Lapland to life through magical realism and deadpan humour.