Anja Snellman

Anja Snellman is one of the leading names in contemporary Northern European fiction and the most widely read author of her generation in her native Finland. Her books have been translated into more than 20 languages.

Snellman originally intended to become a poet, but a colleague persuaded her to give prose a try after seeing a piece of her prose at a summer camp for young writers. It took her seven years to complete her first novel, which became an overnight sensation and remains the highest-selling debut work in the history of Finnish literature.

Snellman has since authored 24 novels and three collections of poetry. In her work as a writer, her love for language is combined with her sensitivity to emerging trends, unspoken truths, and undercurrents that are about to surface in society—these she often describes with almost eerie premonition, with fascinating and frightening accuracy. She is also noted for her bold sensuality, enchantingly dark humor, and a keen eye for the absurd.

Throughout her career, Snellman has sought to expand the territory of literature. She also works as a therapist and journalist and continues to write poetry, the genre that initially made her fall in love with words and aspire to become a writer. She considers herself fortunate to have reached a point in her life where she can enjoy inspiring synergies.