Title in English: Juha. Ballad of the Rapids
Juha is a story of love, betrayal, manipulation, and tragedy. Set in the Finnish countryside near the Russian border, it unfolds against a backdrop of tension between Finns and Karelians. Juha, a hardworking but rather plain-looking farmer, lives there with his beautiful wife Marja in a marriage that is far from happy. One day, a handsome travelling merchant named Shemeikka asks for shelter for the night — and from that moment on, nothing is ever the same again. The author of the novel, Juhani Aho (1861–1921), is one of Finland’s most important writers. His novels and short stories are considered classics of Finnish literature. This Czech edition marks the very first publication of Juha in Czech. The enduring appeal of the novel is reflected not only in its translations into more than ten languages, but also in several film adaptations, the most recent directed by the acclaimed Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki.
