
In a modest, weather‑worn home, the once‑prosperous Halinen family gathers around a battered table, their lives marked by the lingering echo of a collapsed fortune. The patriarch, a former industrialist now weakened by illness, watches the newspaper for any sign that his son Reino might finally secure the engineering degree that could restore the family’s standing. Across from him, his weary wife tends to the household with quiet determination, aware that hope and desperation sit side by side in their cramped rooms.
Reino, bright and eager, steps into the polytechnic with the promise of a new beginning, his father’s dreams of reviving the old factory hanging on his shoulders. As the young man excels in his studies and secures a summer placement, the Halinens glimpse a chance to reclaim respect and stability that had slipped away years ago. Yet beneath the optimism, whispers of trouble begin to stir, and the family’s resolve is tested.
Caught between loyalty and looming uncertainty, the Halinen household must navigate the fragile balance of supporting a son whose future may not be as certain as they wish. Their story unfolds in a world where personal ambition collides with the harsh realities of a town that has already turned its back, leaving listeners to wonder whether the tide can truly turn for this resilient family.
Language
fi
Duration
~3 hours (210K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2013-09-23
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1879–1922
A Finnish writer, journalist, and political activist, he lived through a turbulent period in Finland’s history and brought sharp social concerns into his work. His life was cut short in 1922, but his name remains tied to both literature and public debate.
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