Review of THE WINTER JOB by Antti Tuomainen (New Release)

 3.5 Stars

This book is being described as a darkly funny crime caper and, as marketed, it does indeed remind me of the Coen Brothers’ black comedy crime film Fargo. This is not a genre I read often but this novel has its moments.

Christmas 1982 is approaching. Ilmari Nieminen wants to give his daughter a piano as a Christmas gift, but he has no money. Desperate, he takes a job to transport a valuable antique sofa from Helsinki to Kilpisjärvi, the northernmost town in Finland. By chance, he meets a childhood friend, Antero Kuikka, who repairs the wipers on the old, not totally road-worthy van Ilmari is driving on the condition he be able to travel north with him. The two set off but soon discover that they are being followed by a man in a Saab 96 and a couple in an egg-yolk-yellow Lada who are all intent on taking the sofa. Of course, it turns out that Ilmari and Antero are transporting more than a sofa.

The point of view shifts among the occupants of the three vehicles. Ilmari and Antero, as they travel in a light-blue British van, reconnect after not having seen each other for over two decades. In the Lada are two communists, Anneli Kukkorinne and Erkki Liljalampi, who want to steal the sofa to sell it and use the proceeds to promote their cause. The two have worked many missions together but Anneli starts to suspect that her partner may not be totally committed. In the Saab is Otto Puolanka, a psychopath who made me think of Anton Chigurh in the Coens’ film No Country for Old Men. His chapters always open with his thoughts about the place through which he is travelling, thoughts which indicate his personality: “Pitäjänmäki was like a massive fanny: dark, slippery and a mystery to mankind” and “Sparsely populated areas were like parts of the body suffering from an advanced sexually transmitted disease: all sensation had died long ago.”

Readers who enjoy crime capers will find the characteristic elements. There’s generally a light-hearted tone, though there are violent scenes. The fate of Salminen would certainly be appropriate in a Coen Brothers’ film. There’s a misfit crew. Ilmari and Antero are an odd couple but so are Anneli and Erkki. And, of course, things do not go as planned for anyone and these misadventures lead to both tension and humour.

I’m not a fan of physical comedy. There are funny scenes, but for me it’s the more subtle humour that appeals. There are statements like “the Lada’s front tyre met its Soviet maker” and “seeing the sofa in the back of the van was like stumbling upon the Koh-I-Noor diamond in a sweaty changing room.” I enjoyed the music references and the discussions of the soap opera Dallas.

But there are also poignant moments. Ilmari and Antero do have some conversations about family, friendship, and trust. The journey becomes a journey of self-discovery; someone he encounters even tells Ilmari, “’I hope the journey has given you guidance in more than just a geographical sense.’” Ilmari, for instance, admits to how his behaviour led to the breakup of his marriage. Even Anneli comes to see things from a different perspective. And I love the ending: “It was time for a new song.”

This is not the type of book I would ordinarily read, but it will definitely appeal to readers who enjoy a blending of dark humour, suspense, and poignant reflection.