Beasts of the Sea

A wonderfully evocative account of the discovery, destruction and resurrection of a near-mythic sea monster that even now seems to evade our examining eyes - perhaps out of our own guilt. IIda Turpeinen’s novel is almost Shakespearean in its drama and its set-pieces, shifting to and fro in time and space, peopled with vivid characters and their fates; with beings, both human and non-human, caught up in this beautifully written narrative, as deep and profound as the sea itself – Philip HoareA gorgeous, thought-provoking book about the consequences of the human exploration of the natural world. Its narrative moves through lives and times, with sailors, hunters, naturalists and artists all playing their part in the death and life of creatures that we’re still lucky to know, and others that have been lost. In David Hackston’s beautiful translation both humans and animals spring to vivid life on the page, and ask us to pay attention to history, and to the world around us – Sarah Brooks, author of The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the WastelandsMesmerising. Near to mythic. This profound and moving novel of lost histories and lives held me captured in its spell – Essie Fox, author of The FascinationA sprawling, seething epic which intertwines the mysteries of the natural world with their destruction when myth and man collide. Beasts of the Sea is a delicately woven tale of exploration and exploitation; a sharp cry to protect what is precious in the world before it vanishes – Lucy Steeds, author of The Artist

IIDA TURPEINEN (b. 1987) is a Helsinki-based literary scholar currently writing a dissertation on the intersection of the natural sciences and literature. As an author, she is intrigued by the literary potential of scientific research and by the offbeat anecdotes and meanderings from the history of science. Turpeinen’s short stories exploring the relationship between humans and animals won the J. H. Erkko Young Writers’ Competition in 2014. Her debut novel, Beasts of the Sea (2023) is the winner of the Helsingin Sanomat Prize 2023, and shortlisted for the Finlandia Award 2023.