Blanka, Daughter of the Baltic Sea
By Ulla Rask
“A woman cannot afford to pity herself for longer than a single prayer.”
Reval (Tallinn), 1606, and the wedding celebrations of Hanseatic merchant Matthias Berger's eldest daughter, Dorothea, are in full swing. But the bride looks unusually pallid and she succumbs to a fatal fever on her wedding night. To uphold their father's arrangement, Dorothea's eighteen-year-old younger sister, Blanka, is expected to step into her sister's shoes as the second wife of Karl Johann Krause, their upper-class merchant father's business associate in the North German city of Lübeck.
The following spring, Blanka and her maid Margo depart for their new life in Lübeck, but their journey takes an unexpected turn when they are kidnapped for ransom. Their perilous and eventful sea voyage leads them from Reval to Danish-controlled Visby where they are kept while their privateer captors await payment of the ransom. Blanka and Margo make a daring escape with the help of a handsome Danish mercenary soldier, Erik Torn af Sørensborg, who will capture Blanka’s heart. After stowing themselves away on a ship bound for Lübeck, Blanka and Margo are discovered and Blanka uses her late mother's emerald ring to secure their safe passage to their final destination. Settling into her new home in Lübeck, Blanka, who has entered a marriage of convenience, finally finds stability in her life—but only for a moment as both domestic and external events put her courage and intuition to the test.
Blanka, Daughter of the Baltic Sea marks the beginning of a captivating, historical fiction series that transports the reader over four hundred years back in time to the bustling Hanseatic League cities of the Baltic Sea region, and a glimpse into women's lives and their station in society at the time. Akin to Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks with a female gaze, the novel will appeal to fans of Ken Follett, Philippa Gregory, and acclaimed Finnish historical fiction writer, Kaari Utrio.
Reading material:
Sample translation 135 pp (tk)
Synopsis
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Reviews
“Rask’s debut novel is a believable and captivating armchair journey to the 17th-century Baltic Sea. [...] A new star in the genre is being born.”
“Ulla Rask is on her way to becoming one of Finland's top authors of historical novels.”
“An absorbing historical adventure.”
“In addition to a cool plot, the skilfully portrayed 1600s atmosphere and believable millieus are captivating.”
“Picturing a time when the Baltic Sea was both the main source of a livelihood and also a threat, Blanka, Daughter of the Baltic Sea makes you want to read with a map open in front of you.”
“A pacy and engaging historical adventure - bingeworthy reading that I devoured it in almost one go. In the romantic and historical spirit of Kaari Utrio, but in a more modern, faster-paced, more straightforward and eventful way. Also suited for lovers of maritime adventure and Baltic history.”
“This was much more adventurous read than I expected and there are lots of interesting themes in the book. There's Hanseatic trade, piracy, the role of women and the construction of a historical milieu in general. I liked how real Blanca's world felt and that her emotional life was by no means one-sided.”
“A fresh novel that lived up to its rather lofty promises. A sequel is expected.”
“Highly recommended for readers of historical books.”
“A great book...Rask weaves together parallel narratives and the reader is hooked.”
“This historical adventure novel contained pace, romance, suspense and intriguing personal destinies which I liked a lot! The book entertained me so much that I quickly devoured it and can’t wait for the continuation of the series.”
“The plot is eventful and interesting. The cast of characters is well-controlled, and the characters are genre-appropriate, but not stereotypical. (...) A warm recommendation for readers of historical fiction.”
“The novel's plot is so exciting and surprising that page after page, you can't wait to see what twists and turns are in store. (…) The novel has a unique charm.”
