Prickly Pirkko is in opposition to everyone and everything, above all her cantankerous father and most of her teachers, with the notable exception of her Finnish teacher who seems to spot a glimmer of talent in her student’s writing. Besides, she hates puberty. She seeks out trouble, befriends the wrong kids and is all round a pain in the butt. Backlight by Pirkko Saisio is an autofictional deep dive into the author’s teenage mind which will leave you relieved those years are behind you.

Pirkko grows up in Finland during the 1960s. Unlikely as it might seem today, the communist ideals of the Soviet Union had appeal in Finland, as it had in many other European countries. Pirkko’s parents are active members of the Finland-Soviet Union Society. Pirkko herself couldn’t care less about politics, although the student political revolts around Europe do fascinate her, perhaps more for the revolt than for the politics.

Saisio alternates between the first and the third person throughout the book. We’re both present in Pirkko’s teenage mind and in her adult reflections on her teenage self, many years later. She also jumps between two summers in her life, the last of her high school and the summer after where she’s gone to work – spurred on by her obsession with the film Sound of Music – in an orphanage in Switzerland.

There’s a lot to learn – German for a starter – and a sexual awakening to go through. The random actions and decisions of Pirkko will make you laugh and perhaps cringe in recognition. Friendships are terminated for the most arbitrary reasons, new friends chosen on equally shaky ground.

It’s hard to believe that the Pirkko in Backlight is the Pirkko who went on to become one of Finland’s shining literary stars. Goes to show there’s hope for every grumpy teenager.

Backlight by Pirkko Saisio is translated by Mia Spangenberg and published by Penguin Classics, 272 pages.