Meeting with Estonian writer Mehis Heinsaar

A major author in Estonia, Mehis Heinsaar is first recognized as a short story writer. His work is in line with Russian and German fantasy literature and Latin American magic realism.

In La Forêt des oubliés (ed. Borealia), his first novel translated into French, he invites us to immerse ourselves in a world both dark and idyllic in the heart of a wilderness preserved from civilization, where the quest for self and reflection on human nature are central motifs. The cruel realism of the story, mingled with dreamlike, enigmatic elements, make this sensual, poetic text a spellbinding novel. While leading a bohemian existence in the city of Tartu, Agu, a young folklorist, one day hears of a strange and terrifying people, some of whose descendants may still be living in a remote region of Estonia. Fascinated, he sets off in search of them, delving into the depths of the Soomaa swamp forest. There he discovers a mysteriously well-kept garden, inhabited by a woman with whom he falls irresistibly in love. But she doesn't live alone, and this heavenly place hides terrible secrets.