Viivi Luik
Viivi Luik (b. 1946) is one of the most treasured writers of contemporary Estonian literature; she is also a children’s writer, essayist and dramatist. With her poetry she addresses the reader of her own mother-tongue from the depth of their history, language and culture, whereas her novels The Seventh Spring of Peace (Seitsmes rahukevad) and The Beauty of History (Ajaloo ilu) have been published in a number of foreign countries. Viivi Luik is a two-time winner of the Cultural Award of the Republic of Estonia: in 1992 for The Beauty of History (Ajaloo ilu) and in 2010 for her latest novel Shadow Play (Varjuteater).
Praise:
“Considering her growing intellectual presence and emerging poetics, Viivi’s work constitutes a representative model for a whole generation in ‘Soviet’ Estonian literature.” – Estonian Literary Magazine
Written by Viivi Luik
Shadow Play
Viivi Luik’s novel portrays a lifelong journey to Rome, a trip from a poor, remote country to the epicenter of ancient culture.
Shadow Play is the story of a country girl who dreams of becoming a writer and how she finds herself. Milestones en route to Rome include Berlin, Helsinki, and New York. The Gardens of Hadrian and Alexanderplatz belong to the same reality, but they are separated by the novel’s massive cultural frontier, the Alps. South of the Alps, people believe in miracles; north of them, meters and centimeters are the preferred standards of measure.
Shadow Play contains scrumptious stories full of twists and turns that keep readers holding their breath, while offering reflections on the big questions in life: love, death, searching for one’s place in the world, homelessness. All eras are simultaneously present, and events intertwine.
Luik’s skill lies in giving significance to our everyday experiences, from riding the tram to visiting the dentist. Her emotionally charged, poetic language makes the cobblestones come alive, brings the dead back to life.
Winner of the Cultural Award of the Republic of Estonia 2010
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