Siiri Enoranta’s The Burning Dark (Tuhatkuolevan kirous, WSOY, 2018) is the winner of the prestigious Finlandia Prize for the Best Children’s/YA title of the Year. The Burning Dark is her eight novel. The novel starts with a girl named Pau cutting her hair. This upsets Pau’s mother very much. Only later on, after receiving an invitation to Magia Academy, Pau understands that she has magical powers. For these magical powers, the withes need material, such as hair, from their own body. Outside the Magia Academy magic is strictly forbidden. An organization called Ötky wants to restrict magic, and oppress those with magical powers. The Burning Dark is not a traditional school of magic fantasy. The adventure intertwines with questions of protection of nature, gender roles, violence, war, as well as right and wrong.
