Independence is a story in three parts, named for three passionate women – Aino, Salme and Leena – who struggle to achieve independence, whether from a war, a lover or a domineering father. It’s a family story, as well as the story of Finland, a small European nation fighting to be born from the savage civil war of 1918.


The author’s grandmother Aino was imprisoned aged 19, during the civil war, for the crime of feeding the ‘wrong’ fighters. Aino’s daughter Salme fell in love with an ambitious athlete – charismatic, domineering and frankly mad – and endured a catastrophic divorce. Their daughter – Leena – became a teenage Finnish swimming champion but rebelled against a gruelling training regime and ran away from home in search of freedom.


It is a story of survival, but also of joy and eventually, forgiveness.