THE GUARD
by Maisku Myllymäki
Valvoja, WSOY, August 2024, 302pp
You are being watched.
An art museum has opened a sculpture exhibition, featuring pieces that each depict a person. Meanwhile, the museum guard sits on her bench, observing the visitors.
This engaging upmarket novel about insomnia, a museum guard, an art exhibition, and an intense love affair—exploring themes of paranoia and the power of art and social media—is just 302 pages. Once you’ve finished, you’ll immediately want to start over!
In The Guard, Myllymäki evokes a tense atmosphere in which the reader cannot be sure whether or not the narrator is reliable or whether justice will be served. But one thing is for sure: after reading The Guard, you’ll never see museums the same way again. And the ending, it’ll blow you away.
Myllymäki’s first novel Holly was shortlisted by Helsingin Sanomat for the Best Debut Novel Prize in 2021.
RIGHTS SOLD: Finland WSOY (orig.) Hungary: Polar
Materials available: Finnish pdf, English sample and synopsis
Praise:
“The Guard is a skillfully constructed whole, with room for surprises – right up to the last page. It is smooth, entertaining, and full of substance. A welcome and important snapshot of our time!”
“Myllymäki’s novel is at the same time perplexing and delightful. (...) Psychological insights are sharp and the language is refreshing.”
“In her novel, Myllymäki makes sharp observations not only about social media but also about the consumption of art and the museum world in general. The novel criticizes the current trend of seeking experiences that has even infiltrated art museums. The critique targets both museums and their visitors. (...) A layered, enigmatic, and intelligent novel that is worth reading twice.”
“The senses, oh how deliciously they are utilized in the book! Colors, three-dimensional sculptures, shapes, touch, sound, tastes. “The Guard” is a work of art in its details. The atmosphere becomes increasingly intense throughout the book. The first-person narrator is drawn claustrophobically into their state of insomnia.”
“Holly could even be compared to Ian McEwan’s Saturday, which is probably the most accurate observation of detail in literary history. Myllymäki creates concise prose that hypnotises the reader.”
is a Helsinki-based author and philosophy graduate who has worked in the library and communications sector. Her debut novel Holly (WSOY 2021) was shortlisted for the Helsingin Sanomat Best Debut Novel Prize in 2021. Myllymäki`s writing has been praised for its psychological insight and attention to detail.
Author photo: Tomi Reunanen
