It Happened Here

By Raija Siekkinen

A woman walks out of a forest of white birches, stops before she enters the yard. From there on, her pace is slow, careful; one might think she is a thief. But the man knows: the woman has come to fetch something belonging to her. A lingeringly beautiful, enigmatic depiction of loss, memories and destiny.

Publishing information

About the author

Raija Siekkinen (1953- 2004) was an acknowledged master of short stories and one of the most notable literary authors of the late 20th century in Finland. She published several collections, as well as novels and children’s books during her career.In her short stories, everyday events play an essential part in the great drama of life: love, disappointment, anger, divorce and deceit. The viewpoint of a loner, a child or a marginalized woman formed the basis for her unique narration. She excels at depicting psychological processes, inner movements, through giving them an external form, a tangible figure in the story. Siekkinen was awarded the State Prize for Literature, the Runeberg Prize and Eino Leino Prize. She was also nominated for the Finlandia Prize in 1991.