Customer Reviews

Tainaron: Mail from Another City

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I'm enchanted. The book is a series of letters, sent overseas from someone who now lives in Tainaron, a city of insects. The writing is lyrical and deep, metaphysical, philosophical, poetic. Part of the allure stems from being set in an insect world. The novel has illustrations as well, interspersed with the letters, that add another dimension to this magical work.

From the first letter:



"Much happens in the meadow; it is a stage for fervent activity and a theatre of
war. But everything serves just one purpose: immortality. The insects who are
pursuing their own interests there do not know that they are at the same time
fulfilling the flowers' hidden desires, any more than the flowers understand
that to the insects, whom they consider their slaves, they are life and
livelihood. Thus the selfishness of each individual works, in the meadow, for
the happiness of all."

From the thirteenth letter:


"The rapist panted in my pursuit, reducing the distance between us with
horrifying speed. Then I remembered that what I was seeing was a dream and that
I therefore had an opportunity: with all my strength, I forced my feet to leave
the ground, and as the murderer's filthy paw fumbled for my ankle, it slipped
beyond his grasp and past the highest branches.
My unbelief had saved me, but
the poor creature who believes that everything is true is the victim of his
dreams."

Maybe I especially liked it because I'm into bugs but I thought this book was absolutely beautiful. It was unlike any other book I have read. It is a contemplative account written in a series of letters, of an unnamed person living abroad in a city of insects. In the letters she writes about various inhabitants of the city, cultural differences, and often gives some limited information on her own situation. While the setting seems more akin to fantasy, it often feels like more like a travel story and reminds me a lot of the times I've spent abroad. It is a short read but I've already read it at least twice.

I would definitely recommend it to readers who like travel stories (real or fictional) but not to readers who don't like stories that don't answer all of the questions they pose. Tainaron is definitely an open ended story but in that way, I think it feels more real and complete than a story that elaborates everything and works with the themes of transformation and the city.

An extraordinary book...beautifully written...the book transported me and awakened my imagination. The author is a major literary figure in Finland, her native country, but little know -- unfortunately -- in the UK,CA or the USA.
Robert