Over Dark Waters / Tumman veden päällä

Tammi, 2010

by Peter Franzén

From the Elina Ahlbäck Literary Agency:

A touching and finely tuned growing up story set in northern Finland.

For children, every day brings something new and amazing. It could be a game with your little sister and the kids from next door, it could be a Grandpa who makes you laugh, or it could be the snow crunching under the runners of your pushsled during a race. Or, like for Pete, it could be the first year of school, which is coming up soon. And then there’s Dad, who starts to change. Pete begins hearing voices from the kitchen, arguing and crying. Storming out into the night. The child trusts his parents unconditionally, admires them, is full of hope and faith in the future. What happens when this image falls to pieces?

On Dark Waters is a disarmingly sensitive and frequently delightful story of growth. Relying on small observations, objects, scents, and moods, Franzén carries the story along towards the great drama, the moment when the idyll of childhood is shattered.

Shortlisted for the Helsingin Sanomat Debut Book of the Year Award 2010

Peter Franzén (b. 1971) is one of Finland’s most popular actors, having performed in many hit films and on stage, including in New York where he was starring in Sofi Oksanen’s Purge. Currently living and working in both Finland and the US, Franzén spent his childhood in northern Finland.

Praise:

“Actor Peter Franzén makes a respectable entrée into the role of author. The story holds meaning for others; most of all because the debut writer consistently and skillfully makes use of the child’s perspective, never resorting to hindsight.” – Helsingin Sanomat

“The images are lucid and precise. A little boy’s journey through terror and joy, fear and security, love and hate is breathtakingly touching. – – The moments when a child’s world slows down are virtually heart-rending. And that is exactly why reading this book is so good!” – Savon Sanomat

Peter Franzén — Over Dark Waters — PDF Sample (Translation with Arttu Ahava)

2 Replies to “Over Dark Waters / Tumman veden päällä”

  1. No, there is not a fully translation of Tumman veden päällä. A translation of a short section of the book was produced to market it to foreign publishers, but no English-language publisher ever purchased the rights.

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