Memory of Water
First Finnish p/b edition
AuthorEmmi Itäranta
Original titleTeemestarin kirja
LanguageEnglish
GenreClimate fiction
Speculative fiction
Publication date
2012 (Teos)
Published in English
2014 (HarperCollins)
Media typePrint
Pages266
ISBN9780007529919

Memory of Water (Finnish: Teemestarin kirja, "The Tea Master's Book") is the debut novel by Finnish author Emmi Itäranta, published in 2014 by HarperCollins. The Finnish version of the novel, which Itäranta wrote simultaneously along with the English one,[1] was published in Finland in 2013 by the publishing house Teos. Set in a dystopian future where fresh water is scarce, it tells the story of Noria, a young tea master's apprentice, who must come to terms with a great secret and even greater responsibility that follows this knowledge.[2]

The Finnish manuscript won the Fantasy and Sci-Fi Literary Fiction contest organised by Teos in 2012 and was subsequently published. The book won the Kalevi Jäntti Award in 2012, and the Nuori Aleksis Award in 2013. It was also shortlisted for the 2013 Tähtivaeltaja Award.[3]

The English language version of the book has been featured on several shortlists in both the US and the UK - the Philip K. Dick Award, Compton Crook Award, Golden Tentacle Award and Arthur C. Clarke Award.[4][5][6][7] The novel also appeared on the 2014 James Tiptree, Jr. Award Honor List.[8]

In 2022, a film adaptation based on the novel was released, directed by Saara Saarela and starring Saga Sarkola.[9]

References

  1. ^ Buxton, Charlotta. "How to write a novel in two languages – a writing interview with Emmi Itäranta". Londonlotta. Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  2. ^ Farmar, Katherine. "Memory of Water by Emmi Itäranta". Strange Horizons. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  3. ^ Stenger, Wif (9 June 2014). "Finnish dystopian debut stirs literary interest in US". YLE News. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  4. ^ "2014 Philip K. Dick Award Nominees Announced". Philip K. Dick Award. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  5. ^ "The Compton Crook Award". Baltimore Science Fiction Society. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  6. ^ "The Kitschies: The Golden Tentacle". Kitschies. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  7. ^ "2015 Shortlist Announced". The Arthur C. Clarke Award. Serendip. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  8. ^ Gallo, Irene (4 April 2015). "Announcing the 2014 James Tiptree Jr. Award Honors". Tor.com. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  9. ^ "K8, J1: Veden vartija — miten Teemestarin kirja muuttui elokuvaksi". Yle Areena (in Finnish). 1 September 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
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