Core of the Sun

The Core of the Sun / Johanna Sinisalo;
trans. from the Finnish by Lola Rogers
NY: Grove Press, 2016, c2013.
304 p.

I loved this strange and unusual read -- it's entertaining from the start, but it is also full of darker, disturbing themes. 

Set in a eusistocratic Finland that is controlled "for the well-being of its citizens", we are introduced to a society in which women have been divided into two distinct groups. One, the eloi who are all blonde & curvaceous and focused entirely on appearance, marriage, and domesticity. And second, the sadly defective who are unwomanly women, destined only for hard manual work and an unmarried state. Their intelligence & independence is a flaw.

Vanna has been raised as an eloi with her sister Manna but she's secretly not one. Her sister, recently married very young, has disappeared and Vanna is desperate to find her. Vanna had befriended Jare, a young man who was a farm worker on their family & they are now working together selling an illicit substance-- chili pepper. The effect of capsaicin is in demand, since every other kind of drug is forbidden and inaccessible.  Jare hears rumours of a cult who is raising chilis, searching for the Core of the Sun, a pepper so hot that it will cause a transcendental experience. They connect; conveniently Vanna has a family farm with growing space, inconveniently she's also a chili addict. She's hiding both her addiction & her intelligence and it's wearing on her.

The plot is complicated in some ways, simple in others. The characters drive the story, and I loved the characters. The concept is really intriguing, and raises a lot of questions about freedom, social structures, gender roles, true affection and more. I enjoyed the concept of chilis as the substance in demand -- it really reveals how anything forbidden becomes desired. Also, the cover is brilliantly tied to the storyline & I really appreciated the detail! 

I found this a quick and enjoyable read. Definitely going to read more by this author.