Purge: Version théâtrale initiale

by Sofi Oksanen, Sébastien Cagnoli (translator)

Sofi Oksasen esikoisnäytelmä käsittelee Viron kipeää lähihistoriaa häväistyjen ja hyväksikäytettyjen naisten näkökulmasta.

Aliide Truu asuu yksin taloaan maaseudulla. Viro on itsenäistynyt edellisenä vuonna ja maareformi on alkanut. Vanhan naisen arjen keskeyttää pihalle pyörtynyt parikymppinen Zara. Tultuaan tajuihinsa Zara kertoo pakenevansa väkivaltaista miestään ja pyytää turvapaikkaa. Tämä ei ole ensimmäinen kerta kun Aliide ryhtyy piilottelemaan ihmistä. Kahden naisen kohtaamisen katkovat takaumat, jotka tuovat esiin Zaran raa'an menneisyyden sekä tapahtumat, jotka Aliide haluaisi unohtaa.

Puhdistus avaa aiemmin vaiettua naapurihistoriaa, mutta heijastaa myös nyky-yhteiskunnan ongelmia. Yksilöllinen ja yhteiskunnallinen menneisyyden selvittäminen, kosto ja rakkaus nivoutuvat siinä tiiviisti yhteen. Kantaesityksen ensi-ilta Suomen Kansallisteatterissa 7.2.2007.

Genres: Plays, Finnish Literature, Historical Fiction, Fiction

108 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Sofi Oksanen was born in Finland to a Finnish father and an Estonian mother. In 2010 she won the Nordic Council's Literature Prize for her third novel (originally a play), Puhdistus (Purge).

Reviews

[Susan Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book. Reading about life post WWII in Estonia was eye-opening. How many people waited in vain for the Americans to liberate them? The book jumps back and forth from the 50s to the 90s and that was a little distracting at first. The main characters are so powerful in their own right. I'm putting this author (Sofi Okasanen) down in my list of authors to follow.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! So, Estonia has gotten it from all sides since forever. Oksanen focuses on the obscenities that have occured in Estonia since WWII. Nazis, Communists, Fascists, Mafiosos have left their indelible heelmarks across Estonia's back as her people were frightened and killed and shamed over the decades. Oksanen spends a lot of time on shame. Shame for choices people make, shame in survival, shame in what people are forced to do.

Sounds like a fun read so far, doesn't it? But Purge manages to combine this ruthless history with two breathless and immediate stories, spanning sixty years. Fifty pages would pass in a blur because I was glued to the book and didn't notice. Purge is a riveting, intelligent read. I look forward to more from this young Finnish author.

[Kasper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning novel about reconciliation and regrets, set in Estonia across more than half a century. My first time reading Oksanen and I really liked the complex timeline and the beautiful language.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moderately ompelling novel about Estonia's dreadful history, but underwhelming ultimately especially after all the hype. I think something definitely was lost in translation. While I was interested in the trajectory of the story, I cared nothing for the one-dimensional characters. Or the plot device in which a load of information necessary to understand motivations is unloaded in dossier form in the last 10 pages of the book.

[Tuuli - Korpimaan lukija · Rating 3 out of 5]

Näytelmä ohi hujauksessa. Aikalailla erilainen kuin romaaniversio, koska näytelmässä pitää tottakai puhua ja romaanissa olin taas hahmoista saanut paljon hiljaisemman ja vaitonaisemman kuvan. Nyt tekee mieli lukea heti perään myös romaani, jotta voi vertailla, miten tarinaa on muokattu tekovaiheessa.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up while in the middle of a boring book I was forcing myself through and the difference was striking. Within the first 5 pages I was engrossed. So far, very good.

[Cyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very different from anything I've read lately. Dark.

[Ulla Dagert Muther · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book. Very gripping story, set in Estonia and with a very strong female perpective.

[Marlenemp]

Reading this in English translation, Purge. About Estonia during Soviet times.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romaani oli parempi.

[Pia]

recommendation from mom - said it's quite dark, but very well done - mom enjoyed it.