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From the author of the Finlandia Award-winning novel Troll: A Love Story, The Core of the Sun further cements Johanna Sinisalo’s reputation as a master of literary speculative fiction and of her country’s unique take on it, dubbed “Finnish weird.” Set in an alternative historical present, in a “eusistocracy”—an extreme welfare state—that holds public health and social stability above all else, it follows a young woman whose growing addiction to illegal chili peppers leads her on an adventure into a world where love, sex, and free will are all controlled by the state.
The Eusistocratic Republic of Finland has bred a new human sub-species of receptive, submissive women, called eloi, for sex and procreation, while intelligent, independent women are relegated to menial labor and sterilized so that they do not carry on their "defective" line. Vanna, raised as an eloi but secretly intelligent, needs money to help her doll-like sister, who has disappeared. Vanna forms a friendship with a man named Jare, and they become involved in buying and selling a stimulant known to the Health Authority to be extremely dangerous: chili peppers. Then Jare comes across a strange religious cult in possession of the Core of the Sun, a chili so hot that it is rumored to cause hallucinations. Does this chili have effects that justify its prohibition? How did Finland turn into the North Korea of Europe? And will Vanna succeed in her quest to find her sister, or will her growing need to satisfy her chili addiction destroy her?
Johanna Sinisalo’s tautly told story of fight and flight is also a feisty, between-the-lines social polemic—a witty, inventive, and fiendishly engaging read.
- Sales Rank: #744132 in Books
- Published on: 2016-01-05
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.10" h x 1.00" w x 5.50" l,
- Binding: Paperback
- 304 pages
Review
Praise for The Core of the Sun:
“Johanna’s Sinisalo’s dystopian The Core of the Sun is a stunningly evocative novel about the great literary theme of identity, brilliantly rendering the complex struggle between society’s norms, our innate personal qualities, and the transformative substances of the physical world. Sex, drugs, and bureaucracy: what could be more compelling?”—Robert Olen Butler, author of The Empire of Night
“Meticulously imagined . . . the novel creates an impressively detailed and extremely frightening world. Written with wit and grace . . . Maintains an impressive grasp on plot and suspense, easily luring the reader into taking its characters, politics, and striking story to heart.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Smooth writing and nicely calibrated pacing . . . [Sinisalo] ups the ante with well-paced and eerily fitting facts about the history of science, clever literary narrative, and complex characterization. This tale will appeal to dystopia lovers and fans of darkly offbeat suspense.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Sinisalo is at her best when describing the action; she makes you feel the heat of those chilies . . . An unusual and fun story with a strong dose of social commentary.”—Publishers Weekly
“By making them into state laws, Sinisalo unveils the rules by which discrimination functions—and in doing so, makes them laughable.”—Die Welt (Germany)
“Johanna Sinisalo’s best novel since the Finlandia Prize-winning Troll: A Love Story . . . Her literary punch in the guts is delivered with skill and force . . . The story inhabits the same sphere as The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood . . . Sinisalo demonstrates her mastery of rhythm.”—Helsingin Sanomat (Finland)
“An intoxicating book, sizzling to look at and as spicy as a hot pepper.” —Weltexpress (Germany)
“Sinisalo creates a world so close, and yet so far, with small, often subtle twists . . . [The Core of the Sun] is a fun, feminist, political novel—as tasty as a strawberry habanero chili sauce.”—Deutschlandradio Kultur (Germany)
“Johanna Sinisalo’s satire is bitingly on-target . . . The image of a country where the Health Authority decides what people require is pure black humor—it would be hilarious if it weren’t so frightening. Sinisalo is a social critic, but her writing is very tangible, appealing to the senses. It makes for a unique reading experience: highly immersive, almost breathtaking . . . Sinisalo demonstrates that ‘weird’ is never very far from everyday reality.”—Books from Finland
“Johanna Sinisalo’s Core of the Sun is a vicious satire. A dark dystopian novel that is nonetheless filled with humor, and inspired in its language.” —Die Rheinpfalz (Germany)
About the Author
Johanna Sinisalo is the author of the novels Troll: A Love Story, Birdbrain, and The Blood of Angels. Praised by readers and critics alike, she has won several literary prizes, among them the Finlandia Prize and the James Triptree, Jr. Award. Her works have been translated into nineteen languages. She lives in Finland.
Most helpful customer reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
The power of the pepper
By TChris
The Core of the Sun mixes two themes, both involving a repressive Finnish government in a near-future, alternate Finland. The first theme addresses the limitation of individual freedom in the guise of promoting the social good (as the American government did during Prohibition). The second addresses the control of women by a male-dominated society. The result is an interesting, although sometimes heavy-handed, story that sometimes has a dated feel.
Government surveillance in this version of Finland is ubiquitous. Modern technologies like smartphones, available in decadent western countries, are outlawed in Finland. The government refuses health care to people who are judged to have lived unwholesome lives. Girls receive a limited education. They may not refuse an offer of marriage unless the suitor is a criminal or physically violent. This law protects the constitutional right of males to enjoy regular sexual activity and has a calming effect on society. Thus does female subjugation (restyled as “domestication”) promote social order.
The government “gender tests” children to specify their final gender. Then the government changes the child’s name and decides which girls can breed, selecting for traits that the government deems ideal (submissiveness, a desire to please, a youthful appearance, etc.), a process that serves as a form of genetic engineering. Social and cultural norms also shape approved female behavior, as do husbands who follow manuals that explain how to train a wife.
The testing and name change happened to Vanna (formerly Vera) shortly after her mother moved to Finland in the 1950s. Vanna was classified as a “femiwoman” or “eloi” (a name taken from H.G. Wells), but only because she sensed that she should play with the doll instead of her first choice, the fire truck. Vanna should probably be classified as a “neuterwoman” or “morlock,” a classification given to women who are excluded from the mating market. Pretending to be eloi when a woman is really a morlock constitutes the crime of gender fraud. On the other hand, Vanna’s sister Manna (formerly Mira) is a true eloi. Manna has been missing for some time, providing the story with an undercurrent of mystery.
If that background had been written in 1985, when Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale appeared, it would have seemed fresh and relevant. Now the premise seems derivative and comes a few decades too late to be taken seriously as a commentary upon gender oppression. The gender theme of The Core of the Sun might appeal to fans of dystopian fiction who are lingering in the past, but it won’t do much for readers who expect an innovative genre to be … innovative.
Fortunately, the second theme, and the story set against that background, is interesting, although very strange. Finland shuns “decadent democracies” that allow people to make their own health choices in favor of maximizing the power of the Health Authority. Cayenne peppers and other sources of capsaicin are illegal in Finland, along with alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. The Health Authority classifies capsaicin as a nerve toxin and doesn’t want its citizens to develop a tolerance and seek hotter and hotter peppers. My brief internet research suggests that capsaicin raises endorphin levels and helps relieve the symptoms of opiate withdrawal, but outlawing jalapenos seems a little silly. It is, however, an interesting allegory for drug policies that limit the right to make choices about what drugs to take.
In 2016, Vanna is a capsaicin addict. Her friend Jare Valkinen (a “masco,” or masculine male) is a dealer. As an aggressive morlock disguised as a passive eloi, Vanna is in a position to feed her habit by helping Jare sell his peppers. Part of the plot centers on Vanna’s illicit activities. Another part focuses on the absence of Manna from Vanna’s life for reasons Vanna reveals in a series of letters that she writes but never sends. Another focuses on Gaian philosophy, which in this version of Finland has become focused on chili peppers (substituting Brother Chili for Mother Earth). Gaians are devoted to “bringing fire back to the people” – fire being chili peppers.
Some of the story is told from Jare’s point of view. The evolution of his thinking – his gravitation toward “decadence” as defined by the Finnish government -- is one of the book’s highlights.
I think The Core of the Sun is best read as a tribute to hot sauce. Abstract thinkers might view the story as a protest against governments that promote blandness because they know that bland people don’t ask much of their government. In the end, the manner by which Vanna discovers Manna’s fate is a bit silly, but it is true to the story, which demands a considerable suspension of disbelief from readers who doubt the power of the pepper. For all its flaws, however, I enjoyed the novel’s offbeat nature. I’m not sure it works as a cautionary tale, but it works as entertainment. Readers looking for more conventional dystopian fiction, however, might want to look elsewhere.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Hot peppers and horrifying gender norms in dystopian near-future Finland!
By Ray Jay
Johanna Sinisalo's novel is set in a dystopian near-future Finland, where the government seeks to control its populace through eugenically enhanced sexual dimorphism. Even hot peppers are banned as dangerous substances. Our hero, Vanna (or Vera) has intelligence that she must keep hidden in a bid to maintain her freedom in a highly patriarchal society. Rather than opposing the state, Vanna simply tries to survive throughout the novel, a realistic aim.
Sinisalo's portrayal of gender involves splitting women and men into two different main types. The women are classified at birth into 'elois' or femmewomen, whose intelligence is lackluster, and whose duty in society is to serve men and seek marriage. Morlocks, who are intelligent and less attractive are castrated in order to avoid reproducing. Similarly, men are split into strong 'mascos' or weak 'minus men.' The elois in particular stand out, since Vanna needs to spend life disguised as an eloi. Their almost prepubescent apperance is compared to genetics studies domesticating foxes, which brought about similar changes in appearance, as well as features found attractive in women in today's world, such as a lack of pubic hair. This is well-explored in the novel, just as it was in the author's earlier short story, "Baby Doll," which has similar themes. My only quibble with the discussions of gender norms are some of Vanna's opinions, which come across in the narrative a bit too "make-up sucks, omg I'm smart." Of course, these are the opinions of a youthful character forced to fit a role she wishes to avoid, but if they are to be applied to our own world, they are extremely reductive. Certainly, I can think of many examples of people who value both science and fashion in our world. (Shock!)
The setting is compelling and believable, enhanced by snippets of fabricated publications, a conceit which very rarely comes across as excessive. The use of hot peppers as an alternative to mushroom is an interesting one. I for one wholeheartedly approve, because though I'm not a capsaicin-head, I am a lover of hot food, and I don't know why. These turns become increasingly psychedelic, combined with the protagonist's synesthesia, but never in a way that overwhelms the narrative.
The Core of the Sun is not the greatest work of literature ever produced, but it's a fun dystopian novel with moments of uplifting joy keeping it from getting too weighed down. It succeeds perfectly on its own terms, as an exploration of a possible human society, and an entertaining work with good characters. Perhaps it's not your cup of tea, but it's mine completely.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
The Captain's Log
By The Captain
Ahoy there me mateys!
This novel was a random find in a local library. I picked it up because of the title. It was written by a Finnish author. Reason number one to read it. Reason number two: It is a dystopian novel that has been compared to The Handmaid’s Tale. I highly enjoyed Margaret Atwood’s novel.
Now, other than the story being a patriarchy were women have no rights and whose function is breeder, it did not seem all that similar to the Atwood novel. The book was definitely its own special thing. If anything, the author seems to have drawn parallels or commentary from H.G. Wells book the time machine which I have to admit I have never read. But Sinisalo uses descriptions and the terms “eloi” and “morlock” from that novel. Perhaps I should add Well’s book to my list of ports to plunder. But I digress . . .
I did very much enjoy this novel. The main character Vanna/Vera is a morlock who looks like an eloi and has to pretend to be one in order to survive. Her sister is of course a more traditional eloi. The story revolves around what happened in their relationship as they grow up. Some of that story is told through traditional narrative while other parts of it are told from letters that Vanna/Vera writes her sister. Of course, it is more complicated than that.
You also have some sections told in transcript form, dictionary entries, nationally published eloi stories, laws, Vanna/Vera’s homework assignments, government sponsored propaganda, etc. Oh and from Jare’s perspective. Jare is awesome, but I will leave it at that because I don’t want to spoil it. Add in philosophical viewpoints, shamanism, and capsaicin addiction.
Yes, you read that correctly. There is an entire underground black market illegally selling chili peppers. In fact, the peppers are a major component and through line in the entire novel. Highly informative to me since I like my peppers either mild or not included at all. Usually the latter.
I do not think this novel is for everyone. I found it highly engaging and interesting but it is certainly dense with ideas and not a simple read. Very mature subject matter. But I have found myself pondering over the ideas of this novel throughout the day since reading it and would recommend it to those who like complex ideas of society, addiction, genetic engineering and other lofty subjects.
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