Jānis Joņevs (1980) is a prose writer. His first novel Jelgava '94 immediately became a cult book among readers. During the TV show Great Reading the novel was chosen among the 100 most favourite Latvian books of all times. It was also praised among critics and received numerous awards. The novel is set in Jelgava town in 1994 and focuses on youngsters who are driven to heavy metal music. Sharing this taste of music and subculture they explore the life through the eyes of their youth. It is a book of a whole generation which experienced their youth in the nineties when Latvia had just regained independence. This novel has been adapted for the theatre performance by Jelgava New Theatre, and as a film with the same title directed by Jānis Ābele. It has been translated into ten languages.
Jānis Joņevs also writes short stories for children and adults. In 2014 publishing house "liels un mazs" published his book for children Slepenie svētki [Secret Celebration]. In 2020 Joņevs' first collection of stories Tīģeris [Tiger] was published by "Dienas Grāmata".
Joņevs translates from French – A. Kristoff's The Notebook, and B. M. Kolté's In the Solitude of Cotton Fields.
Jānis Joņevs together with Mārcis Lācis have written a play for the black comedy theatre performance Bārdas/The Beards staged at Dirty Deal Teatro in Riga in 2015, and the play Rīga. Urbānie mīti/ Riga. Urban Myths staged at the New Riga Theatre in 2016. Also together with publicist Anete Konste they have written stories for the theatre performance Zvērīgā mīla/ Beastly Love staged at Dirty Deal Tearo in 2017.
Prose
Decembris [December]. Riga: Ascendum, 2022.
Tīģeris [Tiger]. Riga: Dienas Grāmata, 2020.
Jelgava '94. Riga: Mansards, 2013. Printed and in e-book format.
Children's Books
Slepenie svētki [Secret Celebration]. Riga: Liels un mazs, 2014.
Books to fall for
Jelgava 94
Jelgava 94 (Jelgava 94)
Jelgava ‘94 proved to be a real hit and bestseller in Latvia. The story takes place in the Latvian town of Jelgava and centers around the rather short-lived craze for heavy metal music in the 1990s. The reader is given a view into this world from the inside – the text is both an intimate diary of a youngster trying to find himself by joining a subculture, as well as a skillful, detailed, and almost documentary depiction of recent history, i.e. the beginnings of a Latvia that had just regained its independence. The story seems even more captivating to the generation that shares the same perception and experience of the world – Joņevs is the first among this generation who has managed to stir its memories by transforming these images and that period into a full-fledged work of literature.
The novel garnered acclaim from critics and readers alike, and received numerous awards: the Annual Latvian Literature Award for Best Debut; the 2014 European Union Prize for Literature; and the 2014 Kilogram of Culture Award presented by Latvian Television. It was also named among the 100 favorite Latvian books of all time on the television show Great Reading, and the Children’s Jury.
Contacts: Jānis Joņevs, janisjonevs@gmail.com
Jelgava 94_excerpt.pdf
Title
:Jelgava 94
Title*
:Jelgava 94
Authors
:Genre
:Fiction
Publisher
:Mansards
Pages
:312
Year
:2013
Foreign rights
:Rights sold to United Kingdom, France, Norway, Bulgaria, Turkey, Poland and Slovenia.
The Secret Celebration
The Secret Celebration (Slepenie svētki)
It’s the birthday of the big wardrobe closet. He celebrates his birthday at night when the guests bring him gifts and they have a wild party. So the parents shouldn’t be upset if the room is in a mess in the morning – it’s not the children’s fault! Jānis Joņevs and Reinis Pētersons’ work is marked by cheerful irony and a sense for the grotesque. The celebrations of the furniture mirror the daily rituals of adults as imagined
and acted out by children.
Contacts: pasts@lielsmazs.lv, www.lielsmazs.lv
TheSecretCelebration_by_J.Jonevs.pdf
Title
:The Secret Celebration
Title*
:Slepenie svētki
Authors
:Illustrators
:Genre
:Childrens-book
Publisher
:Liels un Mazs
Pages
:40
Year
:2014
Foreign rights
:All languages available
Jan Brahmann. Everything that moves needs warmth // Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in print), February 2023 [GER]
Black Destination // Dwutygodnik, November 2022 [PL]
Interview with writer Jānis Joņevs // Radio Eins, September 2022 [GER]
Jānis Joņevs and Semjon Hanin at the Berlin International Literature Festival 2022 // Kultur lettland, August 2022 [GER]
Latvian best-selling novel "Metal '94" // Book Asahi, August 2022 [JPN]
Jānis Joņevs. Method // Zurnalas Metai, July 2022 [LT]
Five new books in Albanian from contemporary European literature // Exlibris, June 2022 [AL]
Hot list books 2022 // Hotlist-online, June 2022 [GER]
About Jānis Joņevs // Sirp.ee, 2020 [EE]
Short story "Letters" from Tiger translated into Russian // Prochtenie.org, 2020 [RU]
"Burti" story from Tiger // Online magazine Satori, 2020 [LV]
About Tiger // Diena.lv, 2020 [LV]
Video review of Doom 94 // Aim Pé Bé, 2018 [EN]
About the play Riga. Urban Legends // Jaunais Rīgas Teātris, 2016 [LV]
About the adaptation of Jelgava '94 // Online magazine Satori, 2015 [LV]
About the play Beards // Dirty Deal Teatro, 2015 [LV]
Winner of the European Union Prize for Literature // euprizeliterature.eu, 2014 [EN]
Reviews
Ville Hytönen. The award-winning depiction of the youth of the 90's excites the cult names of metal music, review Jelgava '94 (Doom 94) // Helsinki Sanomat, December 2022 [FI]
When the music was louder, the bandits were more dangerous and the hair was longer. Review of the book by Jānis Joņevs “Jelgava '94” // Przeglad Baltycki, October 2022 [PL]
30 Best Music Books To Read , review of Jelgava '94 (Doom 94) // The Uncorked Librarian, September 2022 [ENG]
The most interesting premieres of the week, review of Jelgava '94 // Booklips.pl, September 2022 [PL]
Tobias Lehmkuhl. Jānis Joņevs: „Jelgava 94“ // Deutschland Funk, September 2022 [GER]
Announced books. Jelgava 94 // Strefa Music Art , September 2022 [PL]
Christine Pfeifer. Heard the shot. review of Jelgava '94 // Jungle world, September 2022 [GER]
Albert Caspari. Jelgava 94 by Jānis Joņevs // Radio Weser.TV, Baltische Stunde, August 2022 [GER]
Jelgava 94, review // urag.exblog, August 2022 [JP]
In the backyard of the vest pocket, review Jelgava 94 // Readindie.wordpress.com, July 2022 [GER]
Albert Caspari. Jānis Joņevs: Jelgava 94 // Baltbuch.blogspot, May, 2022 [GER]
Bettina Bergmann.Jānis Joņevs: Jelgava 94 // Lese Jury, April 2022 [GER]
Branko Prlja. Doom 94, a Novel About Extreme Times & Music in Post-socialistic Latvia // Literature Salon, April 2022 [ENG]
Guntis Berelis, Priecīgs tīģeris bez metāla astes, review of Tiger // Online magazine Satori, 2020 [LV]
Andrejs Vīksna, Apspēlēt likteni, review of Tiger // Online magazine Punctum, 2020 [LV]
Bārbala Simsone, Nedomā par tīģeri, review of Tiger // Diena.lv, 2020 [LV]
Žulijens Nuhums Kulibali, Pusaudžu filma visām paaudzēm, review of the film Jelgava '94 // Kino raksti, 2019 [LV]
Uldis Rudaks, Pārmaiņu nepanesamais aromāts, review of the film Jelgava '94 // Diena.lv, 2019 [LV]
Inga Gaile, Par lietu lārtību jeb kurš ēda desmaizīte, review of Secret Celebration // Online magazine Satori, 2015 [LV]
Rihards Krūkliņš, Zudusī Paaudze, review of Jelgava '94 // UbiSunt, University of Latvia, 2014 [LV]
Katrīna Rudzīte, Ceļā uz metālu, review of Jelgava '94 // Online magazine Satori, 2013 [LV]
Helmuts Caune, Godīgi par pagātni, review of Jelgava '94 // Online magazine Satori, 2013 [LV]
Arnis Koroševskis, Es klausos dziesmas, tātad – esmu, review of Jelgava '94 // UbiSunt, University of Latvia, 2013 [LV]
Guntis Berelis, Kurts šauj Amerikā un trāpa Jānim Latvijā, review of Jelgava '94 // Blog Guntis Berelis vērtē, 2013 [LV]
In print
2023_February _FAZ_Virza_Jonevs_Skujins.pdf
2021, the Annual Latvian Literature Award for Tiger
2014, European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) for Jelgava '94
2014, 1kg of Culture Prize awarded by the LTV1 television show 100 Grams of Culture for Jelgava '94
2013, the Annual Latvian Literature Award Best Debut for Jelgava '94
Metal
Metal (Jelgava 94)
Title
: MetalTitle*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:French
Publisher
:Gaïa Editions, France
Pages
:384
Year
:2016
Copyrights
:Jānis Joņevs, Mansards
Synopsis
:Set in the 1990s, the story is centered on the rather short-lived craze for the allternative culture of heavy metal music.
Fordømte ’94
Fordømte ’94 (Jelgava 94)
Title
: Fordømte ’94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Norvegian
Publisher
:Bokbyen Forlag, Norway
Pages
:312
Year
:2016
Copyrights
:Jānis Joņevs, Reinis Pētersons, Mansards
Synopsis
:Set in the 1990s, the story is centered on the rather short-lived craze for the allternative culture of heavy metal music.
Metalci '94
Metalci '94 (Jelgava 94)
Title
: Metalci '94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Slovenian
Publisher
:Miš Publishing, Slovenia
Pages
:317
Year
:2016
Copyrights
:Jānis Joņevs, Mansards
Synopsis
:Set in the 1990s, the story is centered on the rather short-lived craze for the allternative culture of heavy metal music.
Jelgava 94
Jelgava 94 (Jelgava 94)
Title
: Jelgava 94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Croatian
Publisher
:V.B.Z. d.o.o., Croatia
Pages
:300
Year
:2017
Copyrights
:Jānis Joņevs, apgāds Mansards
Synopsis
:Joņevs' debut in the genre of novel has proved to be a real hit and bestseller in Latvia. Set in the 1990s in the town of Jelgava, the story is centered on the rather short-lived craze for the alternative culture of heavy metal music.
Jelgava 94
Jelgava 94 (Jelgava 94)
Title
: Jelgava 94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Estonian
Publisher
:Randvelt Kirjastus, Estonia
Pages
:314
Year
:2017
Copyrights
:The author, the publisher
Synopsis
:The story takes place in a town called Jelgava and centres around the rather short-lived craze for heavy metal music in the 1990s.
Doom 94
Doom 94 (Jelgava 94)
Title
: Doom 94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:English
Publisher
:Wrecking Ball Press, UK
Pages
:256
Year
:2018
Copyrights
:The author
Synopsis
:Via the underbelly and young people of Jelgava in 1994, the writer takes us on the wild trip endured and enjoyed by those who experienced their youth at the point when Latvia was gaining its independance for the second time.
Metál
Metál (Jelgava 94)
Title
: MetálTitle*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Hungarian
Publisher
:Vince Kiadó, Hungary
Pages
:262
Year
:2018
Copyrights
:The author, the publisher, the translator;
Synopsis
:The story takes place in a town called Jelgava and centres around the rather short-lived craze for heavy metal music in the 1990s. Jelgava ’94 was a winner of 2014 European Union Prize for Literature.
.jpeg)
Йелгава '94
Йелгава '94 (Jelgava 94)
.jpeg)
Title
: Йелгава '94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Bulgarian
Publisher
:Izida, Bulgaria
Pages
:300
Year
:2018
Copyrights
:The author;
Synopsis
:Joņevs' debut in the genre of novel has proved to be a real hit and bestseller in Latvia. Set in the 1990s in the town of Jelgava, the story is centered on the rather short-lived craze for the alternative culture of heavy metal music.
.jpg)
Jelgava 94
Jelgava 94 (Jelgava 94)
.jpg)
Title
: Jelgava 94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Lithuanian
Publisher
:Kitos Knygos, Lithuania
Pages
:312
Year
:2018
Copyrights
:The author, the translator, the publisher
Synopsis
:Coming-of-age story of a fourteen-year-old youngster who is trying to find himself by exploring the rebellious subculture of metal.
Jelgava 94
Jelgava 94 (Jelgava 94)
Title
: Jelgava 94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Spanish
Publisher
:Abismos Editorial, Mexico
Pages
:308
Year
:2020
Copyrights
:The publisher, the author
Synopsis
:The story takes place in a town called Jelgava and centres around the rather short-lived craze for heavy metal music in the 1990s.
Jelgava 94
Jelgava 94 (Jelgava 94)
Title
: Jelgava 94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:German
Publisher
:Parasitenpresse
Pages
:327
Year
:2022
Copyrights
:the author
Synopsis
:Joņevs' debut in the genre of novel has proved to be a real hit and bestseller in Latvia. Set in the 1990s in the town of Jelgava, the story is centered on the rather short-lived craze for the alternative culture of heavy metal music.
Jełgawa ʼ94
Jełgawa ʼ94 (Jelgava 94)
Title
: Jełgawa ʼ94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Polish
Publisher
:Marpress
Pages
:344
Year
:2022
Copyrights
:the author
Synopsis
:The story takes place in the Latvian town of Jelgava and centers around the rather short-lived craze for heavy metal music in the 1990s.
メタル'94
メタル'94 (Jelgava 94)
Title
: メタル'94Title*
: Jelgava 94Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Fiction
Language
:Japanese
Publisher
:Sakuhinsha
Pages
:352
Year
:2022
Copyrights
:the author
Synopsis
:The story takes place in the Latvian town of Jelgava and centers around the rather short-lived craze for heavy metal music in the 1990s.
