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Finnish Nightmares #1
Finnish Nightmares: An Irreverent Guide to Life's Awkward Moments
From awkward interactions on public transportation to avoiding small talk with salespeople, introverts from all over the world will find something to love in this comic sensation from Finland.
Mild-mannered protagonist Matti is a typical Finn who appreciates peace, quiet, and personal space--but things do not always go according to his wishes. Finnish Nightmares is an illustrated collection of his and many people's worst fears when it comes to social interactions. Divided into sections on dealing with neighbors, going shopping, sharing public spaces, tense dining situations, and more, there is a comic for every squeamish scenario, from having to sing your own praises in a job interview, to being unable to leave your apartment because a neighbor is in the hallway. A fascinating look at Nordic culture, globe trotters and armchair travelers alike will enjoy this insider's glimpse into the local life and habits of Finland. With a charming and quirky universality, there is an awkward and laughable situation that everyone can relate to in Finnish Nightmares.
Mild-mannered protagonist Matti is a typical Finn who appreciates peace, quiet, and personal space--but things do not always go according to his wishes. Finnish Nightmares is an illustrated collection of his and many people's worst fears when it comes to social interactions. Divided into sections on dealing with neighbors, going shopping, sharing public spaces, tense dining situations, and more, there is a comic for every squeamish scenario, from having to sing your own praises in a job interview, to being unable to leave your apartment because a neighbor is in the hallway. A fascinating look at Nordic culture, globe trotters and armchair travelers alike will enjoy this insider's glimpse into the local life and habits of Finland. With a charming and quirky universality, there is an awkward and laughable situation that everyone can relate to in Finnish Nightmares.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published February 15, 2016
13 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
September 28, 2024
I got this little comics from the Helsinki City Museum. When browsing their shop, Matti here caught my attention as there was a whole section dedicated to him with all sorts of merch on display. I grabbed the book, skimmed through it, and instantly knew I had to read it to find out whether I had committed any nightmarish social crimes against the finns... aand the answer is yes. Yes I did :') especially while commuting:
Oh so many Finns tried to stop me from crossing the red light by staring intensely at me 😭
and I've certainly, mindlessly invaded the personal space of countless people with the bonus of being loud 😥 (can't be helped, mediterraneans are loud, it's cultural)
But I also have a tiny Matti living in me. I mean when your tram driver speaks three times on the microphone in a language you don't understand a word of and then stops in the middle of nowhere and everyone gets off, you ask people around you what's going on, right? Yeaaah no, not me, not my introverted ass. I chose to take the challenge of walking home and make it before my phone dies. My Matti was telling me I could definitely do it and that you only talk to people if it's an I-think-Im-dying emergency. And he was right! I did it! :D (I also found out I could walk ridiculously fast when under pressure)
In the Finnish Daydreams chapter there's this pannel:
It reminds me of a little incident that happened to me during my Helsinki trip. On a rainy day while waiting for my bus, the person waiting beside me reached out and handed me a little rectangular pack. I asked what it was, but it turned out they didn't speak English. After a few hand gestures I understood it was a raincoat. This super nice person saw that I didn't have an umbrella on me and gave me something to cover up myself with 🥺 Thank you stranger, I hope I was able to convey my gratitude in spite of the language barrier.
Oh so many Finns tried to stop me from crossing the red light by staring intensely at me 😭
and I've certainly, mindlessly invaded the personal space of countless people with the bonus of being loud 😥 (can't be helped, mediterraneans are loud, it's cultural)
But I also have a tiny Matti living in me. I mean when your tram driver speaks three times on the microphone in a language you don't understand a word of and then stops in the middle of nowhere and everyone gets off, you ask people around you what's going on, right? Yeaaah no, not me, not my introverted ass. I chose to take the challenge of walking home and make it before my phone dies. My Matti was telling me I could definitely do it and that you only talk to people if it's an I-think-Im-dying emergency. And he was right! I did it! :D (I also found out I could walk ridiculously fast when under pressure)
In the Finnish Daydreams chapter there's this pannel:
It reminds me of a little incident that happened to me during my Helsinki trip. On a rainy day while waiting for my bus, the person waiting beside me reached out and handed me a little rectangular pack. I asked what it was, but it turned out they didn't speak English. After a few hand gestures I understood it was a raincoat. This super nice person saw that I didn't have an umbrella on me and gave me something to cover up myself with 🥺 Thank you stranger, I hope I was able to convey my gratitude in spite of the language barrier.
February 28, 2021
Mr First Gent Chasten Buttigieg just woke me up posting this photo of his hubby on instagram, and I'm far from mad. Funny, I'm always trying to figure out what Pete is reading in his photos; this time I knew instantly. Here's hoping this could be in preparation for future state visit. #TorillaTavataan
ETA: "Nordic social anxieties that I find for some reason I can relate to" -Pete Buttigieg
August 21, 2021
Finnish Nightmares was a book I stumbled upon during a book sale. I wanted to get up to the "free shipping" option and I wanted to pick something utterly random and fun. This book seemed to fit the bill! I thought, why not just grab something way out there? I already have tons of bestsellers and popular books. I want to go deep into a world of barely read books. And this little gem is hilarious! I've been passing it around my friend group and everyone has left this book with a small grin on their face. It's goofy, dumb and too relatable. Way too relatable!
Yes, this book was made for people from Finland (Finnish Nightmares... get it? It's obvious). Despite that some of the pages are distinctly for Finnish people, 98% of this book is the average, everyday awkwardness us as a species feel. It was utterly hilarious and had me grinning the entire time. Well, sometimes grimacing because OH MY GOSH DON'T PUT ME THROUGH THAT AGAIN. Either way, it was quite the hoot!
I seriously loved this book and I think it's a great, little graphic novel. It's a super fast read (or you can take it on section/chapter at a time), it's hilarious, it's relatable and it's just fun. There's no massive commitment, you don't need to follow characters, and it's just all around great. I highly recommend it as a light comedy read!
Four out of five stars!
Yes, this book was made for people from Finland (Finnish Nightmares... get it? It's obvious). Despite that some of the pages are distinctly for Finnish people, 98% of this book is the average, everyday awkwardness us as a species feel. It was utterly hilarious and had me grinning the entire time. Well, sometimes grimacing because OH MY GOSH DON'T PUT ME THROUGH THAT AGAIN. Either way, it was quite the hoot!
I seriously loved this book and I think it's a great, little graphic novel. It's a super fast read (or you can take it on section/chapter at a time), it's hilarious, it's relatable and it's just fun. There's no massive commitment, you don't need to follow characters, and it's just all around great. I highly recommend it as a light comedy read!
Four out of five stars!
June 13, 2017
I picked this up at my local train station having left the house without a book - they have a freebie book exchange for bereft passengers.
This is a gentle introduction to Finnish life. Some of the issues highlighted are common to my culture - silence in lifts, awkwardness with shop assistants for example - others are new, such as Heippalappu (an anonymous note left in the common areas of an apartment block)
Pleasant enough
This is a gentle introduction to Finnish life. Some of the issues highlighted are common to my culture - silence in lifts, awkwardness with shop assistants for example - others are new, such as Heippalappu (an anonymous note left in the common areas of an apartment block)
Pleasant enough
January 1, 2020
I've enjoyed these cartoons on Facebook and other social media for quite some time, so I was excited to receive this book as a gift. Many of them were super relatable and I laughed out loud more than once. This is a quick little read, but I got much more out of it than one might expect and I imagine I will read it again in the future.
April 29, 2016
Tykkään hirveästi tästä ideasta- Itse luin suomalaisen version. Luulen tämän toimivat kuitenkin paremmin englanniksi, niinkuin alunperinkin.
May 17, 2021
I am very interested in seeing humor through the eyes of people in different cultures and that is one reason why I picked up this book. Many of the situations are completely cross-cultural, but with a slightly different slant - in this case, introversion and being left alone. Enjoyable.
October 11, 2020
Finland seems like an introvert's paradise. Had such a great laugh reading this!!!!
September 17, 2019
Well, this is awkward. This was the same exact book I read previously but with a different subtitle ‘Finnish Nightmares: A Different Kind of Social Guide to Finland’ and a different color scheme for the cover. 😕 I think what happened is the other one was sent to me by a friend from Europe and was published (2016) there (in English) and this one is the American reprint (2019). Fooled me! I thought I was getting book #2. 🤦♀️
Still a fun, quick read.
I feel you Matti! Especially the bit about waiting for your neighbor to exit the hallway so you can leave your apartment!
Still a fun, quick read.
I feel you Matti! Especially the bit about waiting for your neighbor to exit the hallway so you can leave your apartment!
January 10, 2020
Such a fun book! I came upon this through Twitter, when a photo of presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg reading it at home appeared one day. Bought it, then eventually got him to sign it at a volunteer event. Then I read it, and it is PERFECT for introverts, those who HATE small talk, feel awkward in networking events, crowds, etc.
June 19, 2016
Aivan mahtava! Samaistun ehkä liiankin moniin tilanteisiin...
September 1, 2023
Ta krótka książeczka ze śmiesznymi życiowymi scenkami uświadomiła mi to, co podejrzewałem od dawna - noszę w sobie małego, nieśmiałego Fina
May 11, 2025
Could just have been called Introverts Nightmares.
August 19, 2018
I'm just gonna say one thing: I have never read a book I could relate to as much as I related to this one. I could even say that Matti is me.
November 13, 2017
minä olen matti, matti on minä, me olemme yksi ihminen
November 15, 2025
Tachiyomi-ed this one at Helsinki airport. Pretty fun way to get to know more about Finnish people because, from what I gathered from this book, they sure would mind if you tried to engage them in some sort of impromptu conversation. But you do you Finnish people, you’re great anyway.
February 27, 2016
Some really good ones, but I am not sure if some of them make any sense unless you are a Finn. But yes, I personally related to quite a few...
March 21, 2016
Varsin osuvia kuvia. Tunnistin itseni monista!
January 21, 2020
I find myself relating quite a bit to the protagonist of Matti, though I'm not Finnish.
December 29, 2017
Finnish nightmares seem very much like British nightmares... XD
August 28, 2019
Löysin itseni tän sarjaluvan sivuilta. 😄
November 3, 2019
Jälleen kerran, tämä oli noin 5 minuutin luku kirjastossa, kun hain varauksia. Oli hyvin samaistuttava ja monia kyseisistä tilanteista ja ajatuksista koen päivittäin :D
October 18, 2017
I laughed. This is amazing. Partly relatable
August 5, 2018
Loved it :)
April 4, 2017
Eilen vietettiin Mikael Agricolan ja suomen kielen päivää. Luin sen kunniaksi Karoliina Korhosen Suomalaisten painajaisia. Kahdesti. Vähäeleinen ja yksinkertaisella viivalla piirretty Matti joutuu jokaiselle tuttuihin tilanteisiin, joissa hiljainen ja omaa tilaansa kunnioittava suomalainen vaivaantuu kohtuuttomasti. Tilanteet liittyvät yleensä toisten ihmisten kohtaamiseen ja saman elintilan jakamiseen.
Omalla kohdallani etenkin joukkoliikenteeseen liittyvät tilanteet tuntuivat tutuimmalta, mutta esimerkiksi puheen pitäminen herättää minun sisäisen Mattini talviuniltaan. Paljon samaistumista herättivät myös keskellä yötä metelöivä naapuri ja ei-suomalaisten mämmi-kummastelu. Pelkkiä painajaisia ei nopeasti silmäiltävässä kirjassa ole, loppuun on koottu myös hetkiä, jolloin suomalaisen päiväunet tulevat toteen (kuten tilaisuus saada ilmainen sankko).
Suosittelen tarttumaan teokseen, jos haluat kutitella nauruhermojasi ja kokea syvää samaistumista ja ylpeää isänmaallisuutta lempeässä seurassa. Matti on symppis hahmo, johon on tiivistynyt suomalaisuuden ydin. Pelkäksi suomalaisuuden kustannuksella naureskeluksi homma ei kuitenkaan mene, sillä teos esittelee monia perinteitä, kuten kalevalaiselle kansalle ominaisen siniristi-päähineen, saunomisen, ja avaa myös muutamia suomimyyttejä.
Omalla kohdallani etenkin joukkoliikenteeseen liittyvät tilanteet tuntuivat tutuimmalta, mutta esimerkiksi puheen pitäminen herättää minun sisäisen Mattini talviuniltaan. Paljon samaistumista herättivät myös keskellä yötä metelöivä naapuri ja ei-suomalaisten mämmi-kummastelu. Pelkkiä painajaisia ei nopeasti silmäiltävässä kirjassa ole, loppuun on koottu myös hetkiä, jolloin suomalaisen päiväunet tulevat toteen (kuten tilaisuus saada ilmainen sankko).
Suosittelen tarttumaan teokseen, jos haluat kutitella nauruhermojasi ja kokea syvää samaistumista ja ylpeää isänmaallisuutta lempeässä seurassa. Matti on symppis hahmo, johon on tiivistynyt suomalaisuuden ydin. Pelkäksi suomalaisuuden kustannuksella naureskeluksi homma ei kuitenkaan mene, sillä teos esittelee monia perinteitä, kuten kalevalaiselle kansalle ominaisen siniristi-päähineen, saunomisen, ja avaa myös muutamia suomimyyttejä.
June 18, 2019
This book had quite a lot of facinating observations! Still, I found it too simple. Uninteresting illustrations and homogenous jokes. It did not make me smile or laugh. However, it may still be a hilarious book non-Scandinavian tourist, for instance. As Norwegians are quite similar to Fins, I am used to these “nightmares” myself, and I am not surprised by the content of this little social guidebook ;-)
August 26, 2016
Sain tämän kirjan lahjaksi mun entisestä opiskelukaverista. Kirja on nopeasti luettu läpi, mutta ne sarjakuvat osuvat niin hyvin todellisuuteen! Kyllä se Matti on ehkä suomalaisin hahmo ikinä ja häntä ei voi kun rakastaa. Tunnen ahdistusta hänen puolesta. Voi Matti raukka. Ihana kirja, ihana lahja! Tästä voin aina muistella reissuni Suomeen tässä elokuussa.
February 7, 2017
Soomlased on ikka üsna kindlasti meie sugulasrahvas :)
May 3, 2016
Heh. Humoristisk, men extremt snabbläst, kunde gärna ha fått vara lite tjockare.
June 15, 2016
Matti on ihan ylisöpö. Moitittavin asia tässä kirjassa on sen lyhyys, ja lisäksi jäin miettimään, että jotkin jutut toimisivat varmasti paremmin englanniksi.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews