The Last Siren

In 1741, naturalist and theologian Georg Wilhelm Steller joins the Great Northern Expedition, during which Captain Vitus Bering and his crew are searching for a sea route from Asia to America. Although they never reach the American mainland, they make history: they discover a sirenian, also known as a manatee or sea cow. About a hundred years later, Hampus Furuhjelm, the Finnish governor of the Russian territory of Alaska, sends his men to find the skeleton of this massive sea mammal, which is said to have disappeared a century ago. In 1952, John Grönvall, a restorer at what is now the Finnish Museum of Natural History, is tasked with renovating the skeleton of Steller's sea cow, which by then is already extinct. The Last Sirenian is a breathtaking adventure across centuries and a fascinating look at the topic of animal extinction, but also a story of great human ambition and the desire to resurrect what man has destroyed in his ignorance. The novel originally describes the dilemmas facing humanity and is a rare type of work that can change human attitudes.

Published with the support of FILI – Finnish Literature Exchange.