Paratiisisaaren vangit

Last weekend, I read another novel by Arto Paasilinna whose title is translated into French as Prisonniers du paradis. This novel was much more enjoyable than the previous one. In a sense, it is based on the same premises than most of Paasilinna’s novels, namely a group of people (most usually Finns) separated from the society by choice or by circumstances, but Prisonniers du paradis is a well-done remake of the Robinson novel, which ends up providing a very good pace, with a true story and strongly defined characters. Even the overall Rousseauist message of longing for the “state of nature” does not have the same reactionary feeling as in Maailman paras kylä. but is rather of the socialist-libertarian type… Above all, it is a funny novel. (Too bad it is not translated into English!)