Erämaan profeetta : Historiallinen elämäkerrallinen romaani

At dawn, Paavo slips out of his village, slipping past familiar paths and vanishing into the forest shadows. He moves in a half‑run, clutching a small, tar‑stained bundle, intent on reaching a place he has only heard whispered about. The quiet of the pine woods and the occasional bite of a raw fish he gnaws for sustenance are the only companions on his solitary trek. Yet every rustle and each passing stranger feels like an accusation, urging him to keep his head down.

Inside a lonely forest cabin at Suonenjoki, Paavo spends a sleepless night wrestling with a storm of guilt and fear. He clutches a well‑worn Bible, reciting verses that promise mercy while his thoughts churn with doubts about sin and salvation. The voices of the nearby community—some preaching stern judgment, others offering a lighter, hopeful hymn—echo in his mind, shaping his restless quest for peace. As the night deepens, he wonders whether his restless wandering can ever become a path toward forgiveness.