Kaari Utrio - General Works

General Works

A combining factor in Utrio's novels is that, save for one, they all take place in historical times, some in more ancient history, some nearer the modern times. The main character is typically a woman, often somehow connected to Finland or Finnish history, although in the novel Vaskilintu (The Brass Bird) other of the main characters is a man, Eirik Väkevä. The setting is usually Finland or its neighbouring countries, but also far-away places like Constantinople and Calabria (both more or less Greek at the time) also appear in the books from time to time.

The characters in Utrio's books are often fictional, but she also uses real persons as background characters. Utrio makes use of her knowledge of history in the details of the books, pursuing towards authenticity (save the deep superstition as she has admitted in several prefaces of her books), which create a feeling of the book's time period. History of everyday life is prominent in her books, not only great country-level events. Everyday life is described from a woman's point of view, and thus also the inferior position of women in historical times is strongly evident. On the other hand, Utrio has many strong female characters, who are able to achieve a comparably good position because of their strength and love.

Lives in past reflect in her books on basis of researched information, to stories, adventures, romantics and humor.

Utrio can be seen as continuing the tradition of the Finnish historical novel, which can be thought of including Zacharias Topelius, Santeri Ivalo, Mika Waltari and Ursula Pohjolan-Pirhonen. However, Utrio has renewed the historical novels, compared to the older male writers, by also using women as main characters, and the role of women as the constructive keeper of ongoing life and social cohesion. In addition, her style of narration is more detailed than Pohjolan-Pirhonen's, known for her somewhat light novels. Utrio also hardly ever uses the present tense in her narration, unlike some of Pohjolan-Pirhonen's work.

Utrio's factual books, like her novels, feature the history of women and children, which often have very minor roles in historical literature. Eevan tyttäret (The daughters of Eve) is one of Utrio's most notable factual books. The book describes the history of women starting from ancient Middle East and ancient Greece to modern times. In Eevan tyttäret, there is a strong background of feministic thinking and critique of patriarchan society, which however does not diminish the scientific value of the book. The book has achieved international note, and has been translated into seven languages.

Her career as widely-published author in now more than forty years.

One of most popular novelists in Finland, already since her bestselling first book over forty years ago (1968). Almost each year, a new book. Already in the seventies, her newest book was annually a steady candidate for gift (birthday, Christmas, or like) to tens of thousands of Finnish women. It has been said that her influence to the thinking of Finnish women is perhaps greater than any one other single person.