(#gifted @oneworldpublications) The third Nordic country I've visited for the first time in April, Things that Fall From the Sky by Finnish author Selja Ahava is a lovely blend of whimsical and thoughtful. It's not quite magical realism or fantasy, but it toes the line of the unreal, questioning why certain things happen, fate, and whether people's destinies can be changed.

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It follows three people whose lives are irrevocably changed due to freak events including ice balls hurtling through the sky, winning the lottery twice and multiple lightning attacks. These people come together in an attempt to make sense of what happened to them, and whether it was just coincidence or something larger at play.

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The first section is narrated by a young girl, which usually I'm not really a fan of, but I loved Saara's quirky voice! Although she loses her mother, and often reflects on her grief which she's trying to process as a pre-teenager, she doesn't lose that childlike sense of wonderment.

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Then we have grumpy and incredibly unlucky Mr MacKay, a Scot lightning just can't get enough of, eccentric Auntie Annu, winner of multiple lotteries, grieving Pekka, Saara's father, and Krista, who's experiencing an out-of-the-ordinary pregnancy. I really enjoyed being amongst this eclectic cast of characters, brought to life on the page.

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The translation, a dual effort by Fleur Jeremiah and Emily Jeremiah, perfectly hits the innocent yet probing childlike tone of Saara, Mr MacKay's gruff friendliness, and Krista and Pekka's worry. The prose was straightforward and unpretentious, which I liked! I definitely recommend if you're looking for some quirky fiction that tackles an unusual question ☺️