The Core of the Sun
A speculative satire of a dystopian welfare state
Johanna Sinisalo author Lola Rogers translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press
Published:3rd Aug '17
Should be back in stock very soon
In a dystopian Finland, Vanna seeks her missing sister while navigating a society that subjugates women. The Core of the Sun is a gripping tale of rebellion and addiction.
In The Core of the Sun, readers are transported to the Eusistocratic Republic of Finland, a dystopian society where women are categorized strictly as either breeders or outcasts. This speculative satire presents a chilling world reminiscent of The Core of the Sun, where a new human sub-species known as eloi is bred for sex and procreation. Intelligent women, on the other hand, find themselves relegated to menial jobs and subjected to sterilization. The story follows Vanna, an eloi who secretly possesses intelligence and is desperately seeking funds to help her sister, Manna, who is doll-like and vulnerable.
As Vanna navigates this oppressive landscape, she forms a bond with Jare, a man who introduces her to the dangerous world of chilli peppers, a stimulant deemed hazardous by the Health Authority. Their venture into the illicit trade of these super-hot peppers becomes a central plot point, especially when Manna mysteriously disappears. The narrative deepens as Jare discovers a peculiar religious cult that possesses the Core of the Sun, an extraordinarily potent chilli rumored to induce hallucinations.
The story raises questions about the consequences of addiction, the nature of societal control, and the lengths one will go to for family. Vanna's quest to find her sister intertwines with her growing dependence on the chilli, leading to a gripping exploration of survival and rebellion in a world that mirrors the darkest aspects of contemporary society.
The Core of the Sun has been compared to Atwood and Vonnegut, but Sinisalo's disturbing and often whimsical vision is uniquely her own. * Guardian *
Margaret Atwood and Aldous Huxley get down with Carlos Castaneda in The Core of The Sun, an adventurous and original dystopian satire which isn't likely to be forgotten in a hurry... It's dark, biting, unlike anything you'll read this year and, ultimately, a triumph. * The Herald *
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 *
[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 *
A chilling tale reminiscent of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale... a fascinating story centered on gender politics. * Washington Post *
As a mirror held slantwise to patriarchal violence, it is often convincing, and rarely without also being clever and comical. Likewise, as a repudiation of the egalitarian gloriousness of the 'Nordic model,' it's a thing we rarely behold in America: a feminist novel that propels you forward to its terrifying, pulpy conclusion. * Flavorwire *
There's a streak of scathing satire to the book's fragmentary science fiction, and in that sense it sits somewhere between Margaret Atwood and Kurt Vonnegut - but Sinisalo crafts a funny, unsettling, emotionally charged apparition of the present that's all her own. * NPR *
An intoxicating book, sizzling to look at and as spicy as a hot pepper. * Weltexpress (Germany) *
ISBN: 9781611855265
Dimensions: 194mm x 128mm x 23mm
Weight: 261g
320 pages
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