Loukko by 
Original title: Kaikki Saharasta
Author: Vilja-Tuulia Huotarinen
Published: 2026
Publisher: Tammi
Genre: Young Adult (13 or 14+)
Pages: 188
Reading material:
English sample and synopsis, Finnish PDF
Life is suffering, but only if you face it alone
All About Sahara is an intense, atmospheric story about fifteen-year-old Sahara, whose world has fallen silent after the sudden departure of her friend Tio. Sahara decides to resolve the unfinished matters. On her journey north, Sahara is joined by a strange acquaintance, an invisible being named Xei. But what must be discussed before the stones open and the train can fly?
This small, compelling novel explores the painful relationships of youth, transformations, and the possibility of confronting life’s and death’s greatest questions. Vilja-Tuulia Huotarinen’s writing is delightfully straightforward and thought-provoking at the same time.
“Despite its compactness, the work may require small pauses and reflection on its meanings. It is open to many kinds of interpretations, which feels comforting. HUOTARINEN has crafted a wonderful narrative voice for the protagonist—it belongs to a young person who doesn’t take themselves completely seriously. They’re just writing, that’s all. Thus, humor mixes with sorrow. The voice of a teenage protagonist is combined convincingly with lyrical language, which is characteristic of Huotarinen both as a prose writer and a poet. There is snow haze and the black feathers of darkness. [--] It is philosophical and funny, hopeful and beautiful, down to its covers. It is precisely because of its candy-like tones and airborne flights that the work is so distinctive. There is loneliness, but also the strength of togetherness and care. There is death, but nothing deathly serious.”
– Sara Harju, Helsingin Sanomat newspaper
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