Memoir — The Book Roads

Backlight

Pirkko Saisio

Set in 1960s Finland, Backlight follows a teenage girl named Pirkko as she navigates the frustrations of adolescence, the tensions of family life, and the gradual discovery of her own identity. She struggles with her relationship with God, her communist father, and the physical changes of growing up. At home, her overworked mother attempts to maintain peace, while her grandfather occupies the room Pirkko had long been promised. Books become an escape, and her rebellious spirit leads her into frequent trouble. When a Finnish teacher recognizes her potential as a writer, Pirkko begins to imagine a future shaped by words and imagination. The story shifts to the summer of 1968, when Pirkko travels to Switzerland to work at an orphanage. Away from Finland, she experiences homesickness, cultural isolation, and the difficulty of understanding her own sexuality. Against the backdrop of a Europe undergoing political and social transformation, she begins to make sense of the person she is becoming. The second volume in Saisio’s autobiographical Helsinki trilogy, this intimate, witty novel explores family, sexuality, artistic ambition, and the complicated process of growing into oneself.

Finland 2025