
In a bleak, low‑roofed cottage by the sea, a widowed mother clings to the bitter memory of her husband’s death at the hands of the powerful Hollmann family. She raises her son Jan in a world of hard work, washing sailors’ clothes and listening to the relentless stories of betrayal and loss that shape his quiet resolve. The harsh coastal town, its smoky kitchens and ragged garments, becomes a backdrop for a simmering grudge that fuels Jan’s growing determination.
As the boy reaches his teens, the weight of his mother’s accusations and the shadow of the Hollmanns’ long‑standing cruelty drive him toward a fateful choice. He stands on the brink of his first voyage, his mind already turning toward the day he might finally confront the legacy that has haunted his family for generations. The tale weaves together poverty, loyalty, and a yearning for justice, inviting listeners to feel the restless tide of a young man’s promise to set things right.
Language
fi
Duration
~4 hours (252K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Finland: Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö, 1912.
Credits
Juhani Kärkkäinen and Tapio Riikonen
Release date
2023-07-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1863–1945
Best known for turning rural North German life into widely read fiction, this pastor-turned-novelist was one of Germany’s most popular authors in the early 20th century. His reputation later became deeply controversial because of his public support for nationalist and Nazi ideas.
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