Finnish author Anne Muhonen releases verse novel for young readers

Finnish author Anne Muhonen’s new verse novel, Salama-Anteri, will be published in 2026 by Hertta Kustannus, reports Yle. The dystopian horror story, set in a future world, follows a trio of teenagers as they navigate a dark, storm-ravaged landscape.

The book is structured as a verse novel—a narrative composed of poetic lines rather than traditional prose. Muhonen, who previously published the verse novel Kuuden kättelyn sääntö in 2025, says the format allows for concise storytelling without filler words.

Salama-Anteri incorporates illustrations, comics, and black-and-white linocut prints alongside the text. The story draws on Finnish folklore, including the myth of virvatuli (will-o’-the-wisp), a mysterious light phenomenon often linked to swamps and uninhabited areas in traditional belief.

Muhonen notes that verse novels have gained global popularity since the 2010s but have only recently emerged in Finland. While the format may appear more accessible, she emphasizes that it is not the same as easy-to-read literature. Readers must engage with the subtext and what lies between the lines.

She argues that offering young readers age-appropriate literature is crucial, as reading shapes the brain and exposes people to diverse perspectives. Muhonen also encourages adults to actively provide books for youth, rejecting the assumption that young people do not read.