Katrina (novel)

infobox Book |
name = Katrina
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Sally Salminen
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = Finland
language = Swedish
series =
genre = Novel
publisher = Holger Schildts förlag^{Refers to the Swedish language edition]}
release_date = 1936
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)^{Refers to the 1994 Swedish language edition]}
pages = 347 pp
isbn = ISBN 951-50-0645-7
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Katrina" is a Swedish language novel published in 1936, written by Åland author Sally Salminen. The publishing company Holger Schildts Förlag had announced a writing competition, for which Salminen had submitted her first draft of "Katrina". Salminen won first prize, and the publisher agreed to publish the novel. According to a nephew of Salminen, Henrik Salminen, her publisher requested 12 different drafts before they finally published the novel ^{[http://www.tidningen.aland.net/se/debatt/ledaren/nyhet.asp?action=listreplies&boardID=-1&messageID=12837&newsID=9597 Comment by Henrik Salminen] in the online edition of Ålandstidningen, accessed October 31, 2006]} . The novel was Salminen's first, and became a surprise success, eventually being translated into more than 20 languages, including English, French and German.
On her native Åland the novel caused a bit of controversy, as several characters in the novel was perceived as being negative portrayals of locally influential persons on Åland at that time. ^{[http://www.mhbibl.aland.fi/forf/index.php?id=105&lang=engelska Biography in English] , accessed October 31, 2006]}
The novel has also been adapted into a feature film in 1943 by Swedish film director Gustaf Edgren, and a musical based on the novel, composed by Jack Mattsson, premiered on Åland in 1997.

Plot summary

A young Ostrobothnian woman named Katrina marries a young man from Åland, Johan, who promises her an affluent life on Åland. Upon arriving on Åland, however, Katrina discovers Johan has greatly exaggerated his standing in society, and she enters a life of poverty and constant struggle against difficult circumstances and unsympathetic people in power.

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