Trick rider in a traveling circus, seventeen-year-old Vandemere (Vandy) Petruska is caught between two worlds. As Vandy Davidson, he lives the legacy of the father who abandoned him, performing on his beloved horses in the circus ring. But he’s also his Romanian mother’s son. As Vandy Petruska, he seeks to deny the tarot magie his mother has gifted to him. But as the magie’s power over him grows stronger, he becomes aware that the bad luck in his life isn’t an accident. When his Romanian ancestors immigrated to America on the back of a trick horse, they brought something with them. Something evil. Now this evil is attacking him, and Vandy will have to learn to accept his mother’s magie if he is ever going to defeat the entity that has marked him for death.
Set against the harsh and unforgiving landscape of the 1930s American Southwest, Vandemere is a lyrical coming-of-age story that infuses magical realism into a young man’s journey towards manhood.
Vandemere is part one of a duology and the first book in the series. For the best experience, the author suggests reading Vandemere first. Fire Horse is the second book of the duology. It is possible to read the books out of sequence but not recommended.
Vandemere is an historical fantasy book is a genre-bending story that includes elements of family drama, magical realism, and eventually murder mystery. Set in a circus in the 1930s, the story follows 17-year-old Vandy, a trick rider in the circus who’s inherited a cursed magical ability to see into the minds of men and beasts. Over the course of the story, Vandy must come to terms with using his magic as it becomes necessary against an invisible enemy that wants him dead.
The world-building is very unique and interesting. All of the main characters are well developed with compelling backstories, and each plays a key role in the story. Even Vandy’s relationship with his horses is well detailed and adds an additional heartwarming element to the story. The book ends on an exciting cliffhanger with just enough unresolved conflict to make readers want to know what becomes of Vandy in the follow-up book, Fire Horse!
Narrator Kyle Shive does a wonderful job bringing the circus and characters so vividly to life. He infuses a lot of emotion into the dialogue and provides distinct and authentic character voices, making for an enjoyable listening experience that’s very easy to follow!
Please be advised that there are some possible triggers (mostly minimally depicted), including sex, violence, and profane language.
