Seitsemän veljestä

Seitsemän veljestä (Finnish for "seven brothers") is the first and only novel by Aleksis Kivi, the national author of Finland, and it is widely regarded as the first significant novel written in Finnish and by a Finnish-speaking author. Indeed, some people regard it still today as the greatest Finnish novel ever written.

Reception history

Published in 1870, Seitsemän veljestä ended an era dominated by Swedish-speaking authors, most notable of whom was J.L. Runeberg, and created a solid basis for new Finnish authors like Minna Canth and Juhani Aho, who were, together with Aleksis Kivi, the first authors to depict ordinary Finns in a realistic way. Seitsemän veljestä has been translated twice into English, first by Alex. Matson, later by Richard Impola, and more than thirty other languages.

The novel was particularly reviled by the literary circles of Kivi's time, who disliked the unflattering image of Finns it presented. The titular characters were seen as crude caricatures of the nationalistic ideals of the time. Foremost in this hostile backlash was the influential critic August Ahlqvist, who called the book a "ridiculous work and a blot on the name of Finnish literature". Since the early 20th century, it has been considered so brilliant as to be virtually untranslatable.

Seven Brothers (comics)

John Woo's 7 Brothers is a 2006 five-issue comic book limited series published under the Director's Cut imprint of Virgin Comics. The series was produced by John Woo, written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Jeevan Kang. In 2007, the series was followed by a sequel, John Woo's 7 Brothers II, written by Ben Raab and Deric Hughes, with art by Edison George.

Plot summary

Six hundred years ago, a mighty treasure fleet set out to sail the oceans of the world. They reached every continent, discovered every land long before history's great explorers stole the credit for their feats. Now, in modern day Los Angeles, seven men with nothing in common but their destinies are drawn together in the service of a mysterious young woman. An ancient prophecy must be fulfilled. Something terrible is reaching out across the centuries. There's a world to be saved... and the only hope for us all is a motley crew of so-called brothers and a power too terrifying to be used.

Similar books

Seven Brothers (disambiguation)

Seven Brothers may refer to: