A review by loloreid
The True Deceiver by Tove Jansson

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Tove Jansson creates worlds for a reader to inhabit that one can jump into quite easily, whether it is in her Moomin work or her novel writing.  In this book Jansson takes us to a small coastal village in the midst of snowy winter, with three main characters of Katri Kling, her brother Mats, and a wealthy older woman Anna, a children's book illustrator.  Katri is known in the town as an intelligent but brusque woman, while Mats is a kind and curious presence who enjoys odd jobs and all things boats.  We witness Katri's mind at work in devising a plan to build a relationship with Anna through story and deed with the unfolding driving the plot.  Jansson populates her work with unique characters whose specificity is part of their charm, and these characters are just that - delightfully odd.  The approach to the writing is similar, with voices shifting from first to third person and the pacing varying from poetic description to faster paced dialogue.  It is always enjoyable to spend some time in Jansson's writing, but this book feels more like a sketch than some of her other writing.