Reviews
'An engaging and fascinating exploration of the difficulties of modern parenting in the face of social media and technological advancements.', ' They Know Not What They Do is neither indulgent, nor self-satisfied, nor glib, but charts its own course toward an understanding of contemporary society and the importance of perspective. And a page turner to boot - huzzah!', 'They Know Not What They Do is an arresting study of the relationship between science and ethics, and of people's inability to communicate with one another.', 'Well-crafted... They Know Not What They Do is a page-turner, skilfully translated by Kristian London.', ' They Know Not What They Do speaks to a large audience. There are few contemporary novels that can address both adolescents and middle-aged people, university professors and young green activists, parents and children, Europeans and Americans. [...] Different opinions collide, but no one is right and no one is wrong. They simply see things differently, as if they were living in another dimension. That's what their tragedy is about.', 'They Know Not What They Do is neither indulgent, nor self-satisfied, nor glib, but charts its own course toward an understanding of contemporary society and the importance of perspective. And a page turner to boot - huzzah!', "This Scandinavian thriller is the perfect read for long winter nights. Winner of the 2014 Finlandia Prize (Finland's highest literary honor), They Know Not What They Do weaves family drama and high stakes with chilling results." --Paste Magazine, "Finnish author, psychologist, and Fulbright scholar Valtonen's novel begins with Joe Chayefski, a neuroscientist, moving to Finland with Alina, the mother of his child. Joe soon becomes frustrated with Finnish life, and he eventually leaves Alina and their infant son, Samuel. Twenty years later, Joe has remarried, had two daughters, and become a successful researcher in Baltimore. In a satirical thread, Valtonen takes aim at and warns against, the power of social media not unlike Dave Eggers does in The Circle (2013), as Joe attempts to protect his daughters from corporate manipulation. Joe's world is further transformed when his lab is vandalized by animal-rights activists. As these attacks escalate, and as his life starts to spiral out of control, Joe's past collides with the present. While this novel is deeply in debt to the sweeping scope of Jonathan Franzen (there is even a character named Mr. Franzen), its best moments occur when Valtonen reads more like the understated work of Anne Tyler. Ultimately, this hugely ambitious work of contemporary realism offers a dramatic warning about the influence of digital culture." -- Booklist "Remarkable.... Valtonen's grip on plot and character is so masterful that his storytelling easily contains his restless speculation about influences on how we live now and where we might end up as our old value systems begin to crumble." --World Literature Today "The buzz likens Valtonen to Franzen or Eggers, but you know, Finnish. I call the comparisons misleading. They Know Not What They Do is neither indulgent, nor self-satisfied, nor glib, but charts its own course toward an understanding of contemporary society and the importance of perspective. And a page turner to boot--huzzah!" --Words Without Borders "A big social novel about upper-middle-class life today... a contemporary novel that doesn't lose sight of perennial dilemmas." -- Kirkus Reviews "Jussi Valtonen delivers a heart-pounding thriller about a neurosurgeon in Baltimore, his abandoned Finnish family, and the unnerving speed of technological innovation." --Shelf Awareness for Readers, 'Valtonen creates a frightening dystopian suspense that keeps readers spellbound, all the while inciting them to reflect on ethics and morals.', 'The novel addresses a multitude of themes wrapped up in a carefully plotted story with a thread of suspense running through it... The organisations whose tentacles are deeply embedded in so many aspects of our lives are unsettlingly well drawn - step forward Google - and the plotting is cleverly executed.', 'They Know Not What They Do is a great novel that shows ambition and the willingness to take risks.', 'They Know Not What They Do speaks to a large audience. There are few contemporary novels that can address both adolescents and middle-aged people, university professors and young green activists, parents and children, Europeans and Americans. [...] Different opinions collide, but no one is right and no one is wrong. They simply see things differently, as if they were living in another dimension. That's what their tragedy is about.', 'A hugely ambitious book. Literary fiction meets sci-fi meets thriller in a gripping exploration of animal rights, the light and dark of new technologies, international academia, and the dynamics within modern families. Excellent.', 'This is one of the most satisfying literary thrillers I have read, and I am not surprised it won the Finlandia Prize.', 'Remarkable... Valtonen's grip on plot and character is so masterful that his storytelling easily contains his restless speculation about influences on how we live now and where we might end up as our old value systems begin to crumble.', 'This hugely ambitious work of contemporary realism offers a dramatic warning about the influence of digital culture.', 'This Scandinavian thriller is the perfect read for long winter nights. Winner of the 2014 Finlandia Prize, They Know Not What They Do weaves family drama and high stakes with chilling results.', ' They Know Not What They D o is an arresting study of the relationship between science and ethics, and of people's inability to communicate with one another.', 'A perfect novel for our time, They Know Not What They Do is a satirical critique of our contemporary infatuation with innovation, fuelled by corporate greed and a desire to do everything faster. With a sympathetic hand, Valtonen skillfully creates a perfect storm of ethical conundrums...all tied into a cautionary tale about a man struggling with the consequences of his decisions.', "Finnish author, psychologist, and Fulbright scholar Valtonen's novel begins with Joe Chayefski, a neuroscientist, moving to Finland with Alina, the mother of his child. Joe soon becomes frustrated with Finnish life, and he eventually leaves Alina and their infant son, Samuel. Twenty years later, Joe has remarried, had two daughters, and become a successful researcher in Baltimore. In a satirical thread, Valtonen takes aim at and warns against, the power of social media not unlike Dave Eggers does in The Circle (2013), as Joe attempts to protect his daughters from corporate manipulation. Joe's world is further transformed when his lab is vandalized by animal-rights activists. As these attacks escalate, and as his life starts to spiral out of control, Joe's past collides with the present. While this novel is deeply in debt to the sweeping scope of Jonathan Franzen (there is even a character named Mr. Franzen), its best moments occur when Valtonen reads more like the understated work of Anne Tyler. Ultimately, this hugely ambitious work of contemporary realism offers a dramatic warning about the influence of digital culture." -- Booklist, 'A portrait of our society and a futuristic thriller, the Finnish writer Jussi Valtonen draws a picture of our times as brilliant as it is chilling.', ' They Know Not What They Do is a great novel that shows ambition and the willingness to take risks.'
