 First edition | |
| Author | Tove Jansson |
|---|---|
| Language | Swedish |
| Series | Moomins |
| Genre | Children's novel |
Publication date | 1970 |
| Publication place | Finland |
Published in English | 1971 |
| Preceded by | Moominpappa at Sea |
Moominvalley in November (Swedish: Sent i november, 'Late in November') is the ninth and final book in the Moomin series by Finnish author Tove Jansson, and was first published in her native Swedish in 1970, and in English in 1971. Set contemporaneously with her previous novel Moominpappa at Sea (1965), it is the only installment in the series where the titular Moomin family are actually absent. Instead it focuses on a set of other characters, including Snufkin, who come to live at Moominhouse during the onset of winter whilst its inhabitants are away, and the various interactions which they have with each other.
Like Moominpappa at Sea, the work is more somber in tone than previous books in the series, and it has been suggested that this is a direct result of the death of Jansson's mother, Signe Hammarsten-Jansson, during the year that it was written. Because of this, it has been described as being a "textbook on letting go, being a mature orphan, existing spiritually alone"[1] and features a young orphan looking for a mother as one of its primary characters. Following this work, Jansson later stated that she "couldn't go back and find that happy Moominvalley again" and so decided to stop writing the Moomin books.[2]
- ^ Ahola, Suvi. "Jansson, Tove (1914 - 2001)". Biografiakeskus, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ Burr, Ty (27 July 2001). "Moomin Struck - Tove Jansson: 1914-2001". Entertainment Weekly Inc. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2012.