Moominsummer Madness by Tove Jansson
Since discovering the wonderful prose of Tove Jansson, I’ve been gradually making my way through her whimsical and wonderful Moomin books, reading them in the published order (which is now possible, thanks to Sort of books having brought out the first volume, “The Moomins and the Great Flood”, previously unavailable in English).The latest volume, “Moominsummer Madness”, is a strange one (well, they all are really!) and tells the story of yet another flood hitting the Moomins, this time flooding the Valley so that the poor family and their friends are reduced to sitting on top of the house, surrounded by water. Fortunately, a strange object floats by that will do as a substitute house – though it is in fact a theatre, complete with backdrops, curtains, and a hidden resident who laughs in a rather alarming way. A number of new characters are introduced; Moomintroll and the Snork Maiden get separated from their family; Little My falls overboard but is rescued by Snufkin who somehow ends up ‘adopting’ 24 small Woodies; Moominpappa writes a play for the theatre; and there are coincidences and confusion until all is resolved.
If I’m honest, Janssons’s Moomin books are a little, well, unusual. There is no namby-pamby political correctness, sanitised and bland characters, or pandering to the supposed frailties of childhood – instead, the creatures are grumpy, spiteful and downright unpleasant; and events are unsettling and often traumatic, though usually with some kind of acceptable resolution. There is a constant theme of separation, with characters frequently getting lost or abandoned; there is peril and the threat from other hostile creatures; and the Moomins and their friends are very vulnerable to the elements.
Thinking about it, though, these events could be seen as a useful way of teaching youngsters that life is not always straightforward and that they would be best off developing the ability to cope with changing situations. After all, Jansson lived through a century of much change and instability, and this seeps through into the tales of the Moomins.
Apart from looking for deeper meanings, the stories are just a fun read; the characters are appealing and funny, and Jansson’s illustrations are wonderful. Looking forward to reading the next volume! π
May 10, 2015 @ 08:35:09
Sound fun and I love those illustrations.
May 10, 2015 @ 11:04:53
They are beautiful for you!
May 10, 2015 @ 09:31:53
I was going to ask whether Jansson did the illustrations as well but you cleared that up at the end.
The TV version was about when I was a child but I never watched them as I didn’t like the blobby characters. I’m wondering now whether the books might be quite readable.
May 10, 2015 @ 10:26:23
Tove Jansson also did a serial version of the Moomins in The London Evening News which started in the 1950s and which have now been brought together in a single book. I have heard that some other countries also had newspaper serials.
May 10, 2015 @ 11:04:06
That’s another one for the wishlist, then!
May 10, 2015 @ 11:04:40
The illustrations are one of my favourite things, but the books are wonderfully readable too. There’s a strangeness about them that really appeals to me!
May 10, 2015 @ 10:50:26
Yup…once you entered the world of the Moomins there is no turning back ;0) I just love the whimsical wisdom in the stories. And the illustrations are marvelous. have a great Sunday, Johanna
May 10, 2015 @ 11:03:44
I think you’re right – and I just *love* the illustrations. You have a lovely Sunday too, Johanna! π
May 10, 2015 @ 16:55:53
Your Moomins posts have rekindled some of my childhood memories! It’s great to see a new edition of a volume previously unavailable in an English translation.
May 10, 2015 @ 17:39:47
I just wish I’d either read the Moomins as a child or read them to my children!
May 10, 2015 @ 19:08:29
You’re making up for it now! π
May 12, 2015 @ 09:10:52
Hello,
I just (well, few days ago, to be precise) found your blog and I’ve been checking out your archive..
It is wonderful to see such diversity in your reading, and it is always such a pleasure to see someone falling in love with Moomins and Tove. Moominpappa at Sea and Tales From Moominvalley are my favorites.
And comics are fantastic! I only read two of the five books in compilation (published by Drawn & Quarterly) so there’s a lot to look forward to. π
Beautiful blog! π
Best,
Anna
May 12, 2015 @ 09:11:34
Delightful! : https://www.drawnandquarterly.com/moomin-deluxe
May 12, 2015 @ 09:54:40
Thanks for the link! π
May 12, 2015 @ 09:55:40
Thanks *so* much for your kind comments! I have indeed fallen in love with Tove – I can’t stop reading her. I’ll definitely have to progress to the comics soon! π
May 12, 2015 @ 12:26:53
Books for children and adults as I often remark. Some of the other books are quite bleak indeed and the themes of being an outsider, loneliness, thwarted ambition and genuine fear occur as often as any of the more homely or humorous aspects. I read many of these as a child, read many again in my early twenties to a lovely female friend and read them all over again to my son. My view has changed considerably as I have become older, wiser and sadder and I think they are (as a corpus) an outstanding contribution to literature.
May 12, 2015 @ 15:17:00
Yes, these are definitely books that you view differently depending on your age. They’re quite wonderful and so thought provoking. I’m glad I’ve come to love Tove, even if it is later in life!
May 18, 2015 @ 16:05:20
I was really quite alarmed by the Moomins as a child, and never knew why, as I didn’t revisit them. Having read about the themes here, I can understand why a bit better, so thank you for clarifying that for me!
May 18, 2015 @ 16:06:46
I think I would have definitely found them unsettling as a child! π
May 24, 2015 @ 19:45:46
I love these illustrations! I tried one of the Moomins books as a child and simply didn’t like it. I probably didn’t get it. I haven’t read any of her work, but I know you love her.
May 24, 2015 @ 21:04:21
I’m not sure I would have got the Moomins as a child, if I’m honest. But I do love her work now!