Scandinavian House, Argo Publishing House and Club K4 would like to invite you to the book launch of the Czech translation of the historical novel Käsky (Command) by Finnish author Leena Lander. The ceremony will be accompanied by reading in the original Finnish, as well as the Czech translation and a discussion with Vladimír Piskoř, the novel’s translator, who has been awarded the Finnish State Prize for Translation and Promotion of Finnish Literature. You can also look forward to selected samples of the film Tears of April (2008), which is based on the novel and was directed by the Finnish director Aku Louhimies, best known for his dramas Frozen Land and Frozen City.

The Czech translation of the novel will be available for purchase for a special price.

Entrance fee – voluntary donation

Käsky’s dramatic story (Rozkaz in Czech) is set in the first half of 1918 during the cruel Finnish civil war which is still controversial today. A young private, Aaro Harjula, finds himself experiencing an inner conflict between military obedience and his own morals, conscience and concept of justice. The escort of a young prisoner named Miina to court is complicated by an unexpected ship-wreck which leaves the two stranded on a small island for over a week. After being found by a patrol, they are both sent to appear before Judge Hallenberg. But nothing is the way it used to be. The main characters find themselves in an unanticipated love triangle. The novel’s examination of the psyche and inner struggle of characters in critical situations of war and conflict, and the budding relationships behind them, has earned positive reviews from critics in Finland and great interest from readers.