The titular character in Vaino: A Boy of New Finland by Julia Davis Adams (published 1929) faces war as his country declares independence from Russia, which is in the midst of a revolution itself. With his cleverness, Vaino is helpful to both his mother and his older siblings as they join the rebels (“Whites”) from taking control of the nation of Finland while the “Red” soldiers try to keep power. Interspersed with the young boy’s 1917-1918 Finnish Revolution story are stories about the folkloric hero of the same name. This 1930 Newbery Honor book provides some truly interesting historical fiction settings and stories, but for me the folkloric interludes completely distracted from the war story and left me wondering how it all connected together.
Vaino lives with his widowed mother and older brother and sister, but his life changes dramatically when, upon the beginning of the Russian Revolution and overthrow of the Tzar, the Finnish people rise up against Russia and demand freedom. Vaino’s older siblings are off helping the Finnish Revolution while Vaino mostly stays home. But war does come to his part of Finland as well and he is able to help his brother ambush some “Red” soldiers, transport some arms and ammunition in his boat during the night, and later deliver messages for the underground resistance in Helsinki. The last chapters of this historical fiction tale show his brother fleeing across both ice and freezing waters to reach Estonia to join the official German army fighting for Finland, as well as Vaino himself seeking refuge and helping calm young children when war comes to the streets of Helsinki. These ending chapters were the most exciting.
Vaino’s war story was only a part of this book, however. As he stays home with his mother, Vaino is entertained by his mother’s stories of the original Vaino, a mythic hero who was created at the world’s beginning. In his mother’s stories, we learn of earth’s creation and Vaino’s magical powers to create using his voice to sing. Other stories tell of Vaino’s desire for a wife and his competition with the strongest man and the happiest man in Finland.
I wondered if I “missed something” related to the folklore, so I actually reread the whole book. Even upon second reading, I still didn’t find connections between the winter revolution story and the fantastic stories about the creation of the world. Basically, I simply disliked the folkloric stories, which for the most part did not take the Rainbow Maiden’s own thoughts into the courtship “competition.” Of course, I also have no idea how accurate or not the folklore is as well. It is written by an American author who lived in Finland for just a few years.
Quotes I liked:
“It is mothers like you, who keep the music alive in the hearts of the Finnish people.” (page 16)
“It is not only in the old legend that the songs are more than swords.” (page 45)
” It is amazing . . .how nice all kind of people really were when you knew them.” (page 78)
“Tell us a story, mother,” said Anniki. “Then we will know that the nightmare is ended, that we can forget it, that there can again be poetry and music in the world.”
Fru Lundborg laughed. “The Finns are a great people,” she said. “They have many troubles, but they wait, and they always win in the end. (page 165)
Vaino was a Newbery Honor book in 1930.
