4 out of 4 stars
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I Once Knew Vincent (2014), by Michelle Rene, is a captivating and believable work of historical fiction featuring Vincent van Gogh. The story examines friendship, truth, beauty, trust, and forgiveness, while focusing on the trials and tribulations of a young girl, her mother, and Vincent during 1882 and 1883. Ms. Rene notes that the book is based on real people and actual events. Per Vabella Publishing, the author has been working in the art industry in various capacities for more than 10 years. She has written one other published book, using the name Olivia Rivard.
This 206-page novel is narrated in the first person by Maria Hoornik, who is seven years old as the story begins. The two other main characters are Maria's mother and Vincent van Gogh. Maria and her prostitute mother, who are destitute, move into Vincent's apartment early in the tale.
Maria and Vincent quickly bond because of their mutual honesty and Maria's knack for recognizing Vincent's best artwork. For example, Vincent says that Maria's mother "is ugly, and I draw her that way" ... but notes that her soul is not ugly. Those of you who despise the overuse of white lies will likely be smitten by Maria immediately, in the book's first paragraph, where she tells us she "coated very little with the sweet tongue of honey," as was customary for young ladies.
The narrative is mostly about daily life with Vincent while he is a struggling artist. When Maria describes Vincent's specific works of art, the book often contains a reproduction of the artwork she is talking about; this is an especially noteworthy and welcome feature of the book.
The novel appears to be targeted to adult readers. Maria knows of her mother's prostitution, and often mentions it. But the author handles the subject tactfully, so the book might be suitable for mature children. This novel should appeal to a wide variety of readers, especially those of you who value truth over political correctness, and cherish inner beauty over superficial beauty.
Although Vabella Publishing states that every book it publishes is edited by an in-house editor, the grammatical errors in I Once Knew Vincent are considerably more frequent than you would expect from a professionally edited book. However, this is a first-rate novel in all other respects, so it has earned 4 out of 4 stars. The author writes clearly and concisely, and does an excellent job of providing just enough details to create realism and enhance the story. And although this tale doesn't build up to a suspenseful climax, it has a superb and believable ending.
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I Once Knew Vincent
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