harkalintu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
yazzer's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
viljaneito's review against another edition
3.0
Nykylukijalle ajoittain melkoisen raskasta luettavaa, mutta ehdottomasti lukemisen arvoinen. Uusi painos selityksineen, juonitiivistelmineen, sanastoineen yms. erinomainen.
salalander's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Finse mythologie, het is eens iets anders. Het boek neemt je mee in de verschillende personages en hun verhalen. Leest relatief lastig aangezien het nog wat ouder Engels is en vroeg dus wat meer tijd. Het is ook cool om de achterliggende boodschappen hier en daar te ontdekken (vb. runo 48-49). Al bij al mooi boek, alleen heel traag.
snivets's review against another edition
4.0
Striking and weird to a modern Western reader, in part because oral and folk traditions carried on in Finland for far longer than other European groups, this is a lively translation that made the content fun and accessible. It was a little less breathtaking than Samus Heaney's translation of Beowulf was, but this is a really tough work to translate given Finnish's different meter and fundamentally different language family. Also, ends on an abrupt and weirdly obvious Christian note (yes I know several cantos are largely Christian-influenced as well; it's discussed in the intro).
Other reviewers have advised to sort of half-squint your eyes, to read on through without fussing too much over confusing details the first time, and I agree with that recommendation. I also think you should dive into the text first, then read the great introduction thereafter - the book is accessible on its own.
Regarding which translation to choose: Bosley himself in the introduction offers this generalization of two other translations; when choosing translations I wish I had access to this kind of information:
- Magoun: plain prose, not trying to adapt verse or meter - "exotic"
- Kirby: relies on finding cultural equivalents to help Western readers
- Bosley: invents new meter to lingually bridge the gap between Finnish and English
Other reviewers have advised to sort of half-squint your eyes, to read on through without fussing too much over confusing details the first time, and I agree with that recommendation. I also think you should dive into the text first, then read the great introduction thereafter - the book is accessible on its own.
Regarding which translation to choose: Bosley himself in the introduction offers this generalization of two other translations; when choosing translations I wish I had access to this kind of information:
- Magoun: plain prose, not trying to adapt verse or meter - "exotic"
- Kirby: relies on finding cultural equivalents to help Western readers
- Bosley: invents new meter to lingually bridge the gap between Finnish and English
eb00kie's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
rclyburn's review against another edition
Let the words scatter from my mouth, let me tell my tale, let the soundings reverberate.
In this text words spoken well, poetics sung, thoughts recounted become literal magic. Any reader would like that. We have the typical mythic tales. Women being wooed, forced into marriage, and sometimes eking out of it. Incest, creation myths, solar body shrouding, and the birth of Jesus.
Though I loved the translation, in some of the notes, once the translator explained their word choice, I immediately disagreed. They said splints, when I think he should have used the word wick. Keith also said gipsy when he meant poor Russian. I think they should have used the word Cossack, as gypsy has a very different connotation in Finnish culture. I was able to disagree due to the strength of the notes in this text.
I found the tension between Pagan and Christian religion very strange in this text. We have the best buds: sky god and water god. Lemminkäinen is a Loki like figure. Tuoni, the death god. And the main god is referred to as Old Man, thunderer. A mix of Zeus/Thor/Yahweh?
In this text words spoken well, poetics sung, thoughts recounted become literal magic. Any reader would like that. We have the typical mythic tales. Women being wooed, forced into marriage, and sometimes eking out of it. Incest, creation myths, solar body shrouding, and the birth of Jesus.
Though I loved the translation, in some of the notes, once the translator explained their word choice, I immediately disagreed. They said splints, when I think he should have used the word wick. Keith also said gipsy when he meant poor Russian. I think they should have used the word Cossack, as gypsy has a very different connotation in Finnish culture. I was able to disagree due to the strength of the notes in this text.
I found the tension between Pagan and Christian religion very strange in this text. We have the best buds: sky god and water god. Lemminkäinen is a Loki like figure. Tuoni, the death god. And the main god is referred to as Old Man, thunderer. A mix of Zeus/Thor/Yahweh?