The Estonian Short Story 2019
Review of the Estonian language hardcover (April 2019) edition

Eesti novell 2019 is the second release of a new ongoing annual series of Estonian short stories that is projected to reach 100 volumes by the year 2117. The 2019 volume collects “The Best of 2018.” Most of the stories were first published in the Estonian literary journals Looming (Creation) and Vikerkaar (Rainbow). Each annual volume contains a selection that has been curated by a panel of four writers. Further entries in the series are planned to be published each Spring, e.g. Eesti novell 2020 will come out in roughly April-May 2020 and will collect the best of 2019, etc.

A 100-year-old classic story is promised as a bonus in each volume, in this present case it is Püha umbrohi (Holy Weed) by Johannes Semper which was first published in an October 1918 collection Siuru II. Siuru was a early 20th century literary movement in Estonia centred around the modernist poet Marie Under with other prominent members being Friedebert Tuglas, Arthur Adson, August Gailit, Henrik Visnapuu and Johannes Semper. As before, the 2 recent winners of the annual Friedebert Tuglas Short Story Prize are included in the collection. For 2018, these are Õnnelik lõpp (A Lucky Ending) by Jan Kaus and Tõlkija (The Translator) by Tiit Aleksejev.

I enjoyed the variety of this collection and again found it a great opportunity to encounter several writers who were new to me. This is especially so as being a foreign-born Estonian reader it is difficult for me to follow all of the emerging Estonian writers from a distance. I don't want to rate individual stories, but Pastor ja Kurat (The Pastor and the Devil) by Madis Aesma was a definite comedic standout with its 21st Century modern take on making bargains with Vanapagan. This was especially entertaining as I had recently read several dozen 19th-20th Century fairy tales on the same subject in Deep in the Forest: One Hundred Estonian Fairy Tales About the Forest and its People.

Mild Spoilers ahead. I only discuss the setups of the stories without disclosing the endings, but some may consider these spoilers, so I've blocked it accordingly.

Further writing in progress, to be continued. ( )