Vango: Between Sky and Earth

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A gripping mystery-adventure set in the 1930s interwar period about a character desperately searching for his identity. Raised by a strange nanny in Sicily, Vango grows up with one friend, a priest Zefiro, who lives in a monastery hidden from sight. On reaching adulthood, Vango decides to follow in Zefiro's steps, but at the moment he is taking his holy orders at Notre Dame in Paris, he is falsely accused of a crime and has to go on the run. This is a breathless and highly cinematic story that follows Vango travelling by Zeppelin across Europe from Stromboli to Nazi Germany, from Scotland to the Soviet Union, climbing the rooftops of Paris, crossing the paths of arms traffickers, crooked policemen, Russian spies and even Stalin.

Reviews

A breath-taking historical thriller... a terrific novel and a veritable page-turner Books for Keeps 1934, Paris. Vango, a teenage boy of mysterious origins and with an unusually isolated childhood, is about to be ordained priest, when a shot rings out. Moments later, Vango is on the run, falsely accused of a crime he didn't commit. The peace brokered after the First World War is crumbling, and fascism is on the rise. In Germany, the newly-formed Gestapo are searching for dissidents; in Russia, Stalin is ruthlessly crushing opposition; and arms traffickers and spies are everywhere. Not even the remote Aeolian island where Vango was brought up is safe any more. Vango's quest to prove his innocence takes him across a volatile Europe by train, boat and even Zeppelin in an attempt to evade his unknown enemies and to discover the truth about his own past. As the strap line says: "When people are chasing you but you don't even know who you are, where do you turn" Vango is caught between those who love him and try to protect him from his past by keeping silence, and the realization that ignorance is more dangerous than the truth - whatever it may prove to be. This is a beautifully written, multi-layered book, impeccably translated by Sarah Ardizzone, and it has an intensity and freshness of vision which reminds me of Alan Garner's work. And, as with Alan Garner's novels, you have to be fully alert to follow the twists and turns of the plot as it jumps about in time and place. Fortunately, it's so exciting, it scarcely matters if, occasionally, you get lost. My one criticism is that you never stag-hunt on horseback in the Scottish Highlands; the terrain, peat and heather, would make it lethal. You stalk them, on your stomach if necessary. Having said that, I enjoyed Vango and sophisticated teenagers should enjoy it, too. -- Elizabeth Hawksley A thrilling adventure story...a distinctive and atmospherically cinematic tale. -- Daniel Hahn The Independent on Sunday Satisfyingly long, with a plot that flits between time zones but is always easy to follow, this is simply too good to miss, with a sequel promised next year. -- Nick Tucker Independent An intricate tale of intrigue and adventure ... will have readers hooked from the very first paragraph. Outside in World A breath-taking historical thriller set in the 1930s romps along for more than 400 pages without a single dull moment . . put this tremendous novel at the top of your to-read list Young Post / South China Morning Post

Author Bio

Timothe de Fombelle is a much-admired French playwright, as well as the author of Toby Alone (9781406313154), and Toby Alone and the Secrets of the Tree (9781406310146). Walker published Toby Alone in 2008, when the work had already been translated into twenty-two languages. Timothe lives in Paris. Sarah Ardizzone is one of the most sought-after translators working today. She has won several awards for her work, including the 2007 Scott-Moncrieff Prize for Just Like Tomorrow (Kif Kif Demain) by Faiza Guene and the 2005 Marsh Award for Eye of the Wolf (L'oeil du Loup) by Daniel Pennac, and the 2009 Marsh Award for the translataion of Toby Alone (Tobie Lolness) by Timothe de Fombelle. Sarah lives in London, SW2.