MARIA TURTSCHANINOFF - #NAONDEL BLOG TOUR - My Road to Translation

Welcome to Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books and my stop on the “Naondel” blog tour. “Naondel” is the second book in the critically acclaimed “The Red Abbey Chronicle Series” published by Pushkin Children's Books. Naondel will be hitting the bookshops on the 6th April, 2017 so it's not too long to grab yourself a copy and give it a read.  

Here Maria shares with us how the book came to be translated - My Road to translation. 

Have a read and enjoy... 

I owe quite a bit to my translator Annie Prime. It was she who, many years ago, contacted me and told me she was working on translating a sample from my novel Arra as a part of her translator’s exam, and would I like to see it? I did, and thought it was better than the sample translation my agency was using at the time, so I told my agent about it. She ended up asking Annie Prime to do the sample translation of Maresi, when that book came out, and later commissioned a translation of the entire book. It helped that Maresi is such a short novel, I think. And Annie did a fantastic job, which I think is one of the main reasons the sales abroad took off. The fact that the book won the prestigious Finlandia Junior 2014-award helped, too. It’s a testament to the quality of the translation that it’s the one my British and American publishers ended up using. And Annie has done the translation of Naondel, too. I very much hope to be able to continue working with her in the future! As I write this, Maresi has been sold to 20 territories and the trilogy to about 13 or so. And the big news last year was of course that Maresi was optioned for a movie by Film4.

Next stop on the #Naondel blog tour is: thepewterwolf.blogspot.com

 

About the author - Website: https://www.mariaturtschaninoff.com/english

Maria Turtschaninoff is a Swedish-speaking Finn who has been writing fairy tales from the age of five. However, there was often a twist: the poor farmer boy and the princess he had just saved from the evil witch did not end up marrying, because they "didn’t feel like it". Her biggest grief as a child was that no wardrobe led to Narnia.

After a detour as a journalist for a few years Turtschaninoff debuted in 2007 with a middle-grade portal fantasy and has since published four more novels, all YA fantasy. Pushkin Press has acquired world English rights to Maresi and the subsequent two novels in the Red Abbey Chronicles.

Book Synopsis: In the opulent palace of Ohaddin, women have one purpose - to obey. Some were brought here as girls, captured and enslaved; some as servant; some as wives. All of them must do what the Master tells them, for he wields a deadly and secret power. But the women have powers too. One is a healer. One can control dreams. One is a warrior. One can see everything that is coming.In their golden prison, the women wait. They plan. They write down their stories. They dream of a refuge, a safe place where girls can be free.

And, finally, when the moon glows red, they will have their revenge.

Maria Turtschaninoff - Maresi (Red Abbey Chronicles 1) - Book Review - Paperback Pushkin Children's Books (5 Jan. 2017)

Maresi came to the Red Abbey when she was thirteen, in the Hunger Winter. Before then, she had only heard rumours of its existence in secret folk tales. In a world where girls aren't allowed to learn or do as they please, an island inhabited solely by women sounded like a fantasy. But now Maresi is here, and she knows it is real. She is safe.

Then one day Jai tangled fair hair, clothes stiff with dirt, scars on her back arrives on a ship. She has fled to the island to escape terrible danger and unimaginable cruelty. And the men who hurt her will stop at nothing to find her.Now the women and girls of the Red Abbey must use all their powers and ancient knowledge to combat the forces that wish to destroy them. And Maresi, haunted by her own nightmares, must confront her very deepest, darkest fears.

This is a very magical and inspiring story that will take you on an amazing ride. It pursues a feminine path, purely because all the characters happen to be female.The author has skilfully written this brilliant story without alienating male readers, in my opinion. It's not overpowering instead it delivers a magical awe of wonder. It's a story about women being powerful, strong, intelligent and treated as equals, and even more importantly, highlighting that they matter and are valued as human beings. It's a good lesson in life and one the author has put across very well.

This is a great contemporary fairy tale which is set in a different world to our own. However, you will be able to relate to it as being a time gone by or a time/place of solitude. This is reminiscent of the author's visit to Mount Athos (an all-male monastic community) which prohibits women from visiting. This was the seed of the story - it takes a similar path, but only in reverse.  

Some of the scenes that play out are very dark and harrowing, which may leave some readers feeling uncomfortable, especially for younger readers under the age of 13. The content makes for a thought-provoking ride of enlightenment in the face of a dangerous world. The story is told with courage, bravery and unity; the fantastic characters will capture your heart.

This is a thrilling and mesmerising story of friendship, with a slight religious undertone, that is layered with a fantastic punch of magical fantasy. The amazing backdrop will suck you into an atmospheric world of escapism. You will not be able to put this book down until the very last page has been turned. 

This is a great vivid time capsule of what's to come in the next book - drawing on deep issues and highlighting them to new readers....

The next instalment in The Red Abbey Chronicles, Naondel, will be published in April 2017…

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: The Red Abbey Chronicles: Maresi by Maria Turtschaninoff - Book Review

Maresi came to the Red Abbey when she was thirteen, in the Hunger Winter. Before then, she had only heard rumours of its existence in secret folk tales. In a world where girls aren't allowed to learn or do as they please, an island inhabited solely by women sounded like a fantasy. But now Maresi is here, and she knows it is real. She is safe.

Then one day Jai tangled fair hair, clothes stiff with dirt, scars on her back arrives on a ship. She has fled to the island to escape terrible danger and unimaginable cruelty. And the men who hurt her will stop at nothing to find her.Now the women and girls of the Red Abbey must use all their powers and ancient knowledge to combat the forces that wish to destroy them. And Maresi, haunted by her own nightmares, must confront her very deepest, darkest fears.

Here is another early review to get your literary tastebuds tempted. Originally published in Sweden back in 2013, this is the first time that it has been published in English. Courtesy of Annie Prime, who has beautifully translated the original story for Pushkin children's books, it will be published in all good bookshops on the 14th January 2016.

This is a very magical and inspiring story that will takes you on an amazing ride. It pursues a feminine path, purely because all the characters happen to be female.The author has skilfully written this brilliant story without alienating male readers, in my opinion. It's not overpowering instead it delivers a magical awe of wonder. It's a story about women being powerful, strong, intelligent and treated as equals, and even more importantly, highlighting that they matter and are valued as human beings. It's a good lesson in life and one the author has put across very well.

This is a great contemporary fairy tale which is set in a different world to our own. However, you will be able to relate to it as being a time gone by or a time/place of solitude. This is reminiscent of the author's visit to Mount Athos (an all-male monastic community) which prohibits women from visiting. This was the seed of the story - it takes a similar path, but only in reverse.  

Some of the scenes that play out are very dark and harrowing, which may leave some readers feeling uncomfortable, especially for younger readers under the age of 13. The content makes for a thought provoking ride of enlightenment in the face of a dangerous world. The story is told with courage, bravery and unity; the fantastic characters will capture your heart.

This is a thrilling and mesmerising story of friendship, with a slight religious undertone, that is layered with a fantastic punch of magical fantasy. The amazing backdrop will suck you into an atmospheric world of escapism. You will not be able to put this book down until the very last page has been turned. 

This is a great vivid time capsule of what's to come in the next book - drawing on deep issues and highlighting them to new readers....