I have a confession. Ok, here goes: I’ve fallen in love with a fictional character that I will never meet…and I’m ok with that. His name? His name is Vango. Well, I haven’t fallen in love with Vango himself, but more of the idea of Vango and his story.
In December, I was about to leave work. I walked through Oz, bag in tote, cup in hand, some bread from Broadstreet haphazardly wedged under my arm and that’s when I saw it. The cover got me first. It was a beautiful hardback book with a cityscape colored with pastels showing the sillhouette of a boy, and there were strong typeface letters spelling out the name Vango. Even as overloaded as I was, I had to stop, and that’s when it happened: I was trapped in Timothée de Fombelle’s spell.
Why do I want the absolute best for Vango as a reader? Because the reader cannot help but be drawn into his story and fall in love with his character. Here’s a kid who speaks several languages, is athletic, fearless, can cook, and is respectful towards the woman who raised him; he’s the real deal. He’s like that mysterious guy in high school who kept to himself that everyone was secretly in love with but never admitted.
We first meet Vango in Paris 1934 on the day he is about to be ordained as a priest. (My thought: Ok, so what? A bunch of kids in Paris, lying on a cobblestone walkway in front of Notre Dame…nothing exciting here…) Suddenly, a shot is fired directly at Vango. (Uh…WHAT?!) Within seconds, Vango finds himself on the run, a wanted man, for a crime or crimes of which he is completely innocent. (OH DANG! You have my attention.)
The story of Vango seamlessly takes its readers from the streets of Paris, to the skies of a world-traveling Zeppelin, to the Greek isles, to the forests of Scotland, and everywhere in between. World travel isn’t your thing? How about a story filled with Nazis, pirates, monks, and inspectors who are met along the way? Still not good enough? What about a storyline filled with intense action, mystery, comedy, and love all tied into one? All so Vango can find out who he is, where he is from, and to prove he is innocent on all accounts.
Originally written in French, Vango was beautifully translated by Sarah Ardizzone. Ardizzone captured the feel, the flavor, and the style of the storytelling. As epic as Vango is, nothing is over-exaggerated or trivial. Everything is there for a reason.
I found myself unable to put this book down, and I wanted to savor every moment I had with this mysterious character.
Who are you?
Who are you?
Who are you?
-Ethel
Take the time to find out who Vango is and, I promise, you will treasure this book just as much as I do.
Written by Laura
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