Forgotten Sea Giant's Tragic Tale Inspires Acclaimed Finnish Novel

Iida Turpeinen's debut novel "Beasts of the Sea" has become a literary sensation in her native Finland, and is now set to be published in the UK on October 23rd, 2025. The book, which has been translated into 28 languages, traces the tragic fate of the now-extinct sea cow, a gentle, whale-sized marine mammal that was the first species to be eradicated by human hunting.

Turpeinen, a 38-year-old PhD student of comparative literature, was inspired to write the novel after visiting the Natural History Museum in Helsinki in 2016 and seeing a rare skeleton of the sea cow. She was intrigued by the placard that described how this strange-looking creature had gone extinct just 27 years after being discovered by science in 1741. Turpeinen realized this was the perfect story to explore the devastating impact of human activity on the natural world.

The book, which was shortlisted for Finland's prestigious Finlandia Prize, has been praised for its ability to make readers empathize with the plight of the sea cow. Turpeinen's vivid descriptions of the gentle giants, which were similar to dugongs and manatees, have captivated readers and sparked renewed interest in this forgotten species. The novel has also ignited important discussions about humanity's complex relationship with nature and the responsibility we bear for the ongoing sixth mass extinction.