''Rakas Henrietta'' (Finnish: ''My Dear Henrietta'') is a historical novel by Finnish author

Kaari Utrio Kaari Marjatta Utrio (born 28 July 1942, official surname Utrio-Linnilä, formerly Virkajärvi) is a Finnish writer. She has written over 35 historical novels and 13 non-fiction books on historical topics. She is a historian, holding the degree ...

. It tells the story of Henrietta, the charming daughter of Lord Silfverhanen, who is still unmarried at 24, earning her the label of an "old maid". However, she has yet to find a man she enjoys spending time with, and her inheritance from Aunt Gyllensvärd ensures her financial security. Yet, in the 1840s, this

inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, Title (property), titles, debts, entitlements, Privilege (law), privileges, rights, and Law of obligations, obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ ...

limits her freedom—she cannot live alone, study, or travel. Feeling confined by society's rules, Henrietta longs to explore life beyond Helsinki's narrow circles. Opportunity knocks with the arrival of the mysterious Marquis de Maury and the original explorer Count Fabian Adlercreutz, who both stir up social circles in the town. The novel delves into the lives and choices of women in the

19th century The 19th (nineteenth) century began on 1 January 1801 ( MDCCCI), and ended on 31 December 1900 ( MCM). The 19th century was the ninth century of the 2nd millennium. The 19th century was characterized by vast social upheaval. Slavery was abolis ...

, exploring the experiences of various characters, including Henrietta's mother, sister, home teacher, and Count Fabian's sister Sophie. Despite addressing serious themes, the work maintains a smoothly lighthearted tone. Originally published in 1977, this book belongs to the Kaarin kirjasto series and has been linguistically checked by the author.

References

Novels by Kaari Utrio 1977 novels Novels set in Helsinki Novels set in the 1840s 20th-century Finnish novels Finnish historical novels {{1970s-hist-novel-stub