The book tells the story of Vinpeel and his imaginary friend Doan, who find themselves in a city that turns out to be imaginary. This is where you end up if you've lost your way for some reason, something that can happen to any of us in life. Vinpeel spends his days admiring the vastness of the sea and the sky, watching and cataloging all the passing clouds with Doan. His father, a very absent and busy man, is also in this city, and because of this, Vinpeel tries to replace his presence in various ways. As he gazes at the vastness of the sea, he is almost suffocated and wants nothing more than to escape that city. At a certain point, he finally realizes why he and everyone he knows are there. Bitterness, however, doesn't stop him, and he and his friends begin to devise a plan to escape. 

This story may seem like a fairy tale, but it actually demonstrates how the pursuit of happiness is a continuous and purposeful process, and how essential hope is for anyone who wants to be happy. I think anyone can enjoy reading this novel, even those who aren't fans of the genre, and I highly recommend it.

The first thing that struck me about this book was definitely its cover: it made me think it was a book containing a story full of dreams, a journey beyond earthly reality to places where life's problems and worries are absent. And after reading it, I can say I wasn't far wrong. 

The book tells the story of Vinpeel, a boy who lives in the small village of Dinterbild, an imaginary village where dreams are impossible and where, without realizing it, we slip when something hampers our lives, when we miss the opportunity to be happy and want to forget the loss of happiness, rather than suffer. Vinpeel works at the "Locanba Biton," delivers soup, and confesses his sins to Father Earl up to three times a day, fearing the arrival of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. His friend is Doan, likely an imaginary friend since some see him and others don't. Doan and Vinpeel spend their afternoons trying to find a way out of Dinterbild, to reach the so-called "Elsewhere," which the villagers, however, don't believe in. Above all, they spend a lot of time searching for clouds—or rather, one cloud in particular, which they eventually find and into which Doan will disappear forever. Vinpeel's life and that of the entire village are shaken by the arrival of Mune, a little girl who suddenly appears from nowhere, as if dropped from the sky. She doesn't speak, she doesn't smile, and she remains locked in her room without contact with anyone until Vinpeel manages to get her to speak. He realizes that the girl is unable to control and recognize her emotions, and promises to teach her their meaning. To achieve this, he writes definitions for her, like a dictionary. 

Joy
is that thing that there is no time to explain,
because not a single moment of it should be wasted.

Soon, Vinpeel, Doan, and Mune are joined by Krisheb, a character whom all of Dinterbild calls crazy and dangerous, and whom the locals urge the kids to stay away from. Krisheb lost his first leg, his real one, while trying to escape Dinterbild in a machine he invented, while his second leg, the wooden one, was washed away by the sea, so every evening he goes to the beach where he waits for the sea to give it back to him. Together, the four kids decide to search for the Elsewhere, far from Dinterbild.

One of the characters who struck me most for his uniqueness is undoubtedly Vinpeel's father, Ned Bundy. He is a solitary man and an absent parent. He is always busy writing mysterious letters that he entrusts to the sea every evening in glass bottles and listening to the stories contained in the shells that the sea washes ashore. He doesn't realize the enormous distance between him and his son, Vinpeel, who suffers from the loss of that relationship, so much so that every evening, after his father has left the beach, the boy stays there a little longer and tells the shells everything he wants to tell his father, knowing that one day his words will reach him.

Another thing I really liked is the structure of the novel, divided into five parts, each preceded by short stories that tell the extraordinary adventures of Krisheb's wooden leg around the world.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book because it took my imagination on a journey and allowed me to disconnect from the present, even if only for a moment. It's not the easiest thing to understand, and I still don't think I've fully grasped its meaning, but it's still a book that makes me reflect on the true values ​​of life and what really matters.

At first I was a little skeptical because it seemed far from my genre, at the same time the plot intrigued me a lot because I couldn't fully understand it. 

Author Peppe Millanta chose to set his primo romanzo in a non-place, an imaginary place where the inhabitants have no emotions, no memory of their past, and their fate seems to merge with the present. The main characters are Vinpeel, the book's protagonist, who grew up in Dinterbild: a town you can't get to; it simply happens, and as a result, no one knows how to leave. At the center of this small town is the inn, run by Mr. Biton (although this isn't his real name, but you'll find out as you read), where Vinpeel works. He has a wife he talks to constantly, but no one has ever seen her, and a pig named Dorothy. The protagonist spends his days in the company of Doan, his (imaginary) companion on adventures, watching the clouds and then giving them names and shapes. In the evenings, he takes refuge at home, where his father, Ned Bundy, a busy, absent, and solitary man, goes to the shore and collects shells, holding them to his ear to listen to the sound of the sea. He also writes letters, then bottles them up and lets them drift away. Vinpeel is the only child on Dinterbild (until Mune arrives) and lives surrounded by adults with their misunderstandings, arguments, and their lack of affection for what lies beyond the sea. But it is Mune whom he must teach to recognize emotions such as joy, happiness, and fear. 

The sea is at the center of this book, intended to evoke a sense of loneliness and helplessness. Vinpeel knows there's something beyond that sea, even though everyone denies it. The lights he and Doan see across the sea are proof of this. He imagines a different future, not in that village, so together with Doan, Mune, and Krisheb (considered the village's madman, hoping the sea will bring back his wooden leg), he will fight to achieve his goal.  

A flowing book, full of metaphors that everyone can interpret in their own way. A book that questions oneself as one reads, one that makes one search for happiness and brings back the carefree spirit of childhood. The characters are unique, each with a meaning, and we can all identify with them a little. We find the blend of fantasy and everyday life. And even though I wasn't convinced at first, this book struck me like one of the messages in bottles that Vinpeel's father left at sea every evening.

A faded sign that reads "Welcome to Dinterbild." A handful of houses jumbled around an inn. A community seemingly suspended in time. A road no one comes along anymore, and no one remembers where it leads. It is with this description of an almost magical place that the story of Vinpeel begins, an ordinary boy who loves to discover new things. He is friends with everyone in the village, but especially with Doan, a boy who is excluded and forgotten by everyone for an unknown reason. One day, the two boys, while gazing out to sea at sunset, notice that the horizon is illuminated. A familiar light, similar to that of Dinterbild in the evening. Thus, the two become convinced that beyond the sea there are other places to explore, and that the world does not end just at Dinterbild. Numerous ideas come to mind for crossing that long expanse of salt water and reaching the light they carefully observe every evening, but they all end in failure. During one of those evenings, they meet Krisheb, the village madman. He's the only one, besides Vinpeel, who can see Doan, and so the three become friends. But one night, many things change. A light passes through the sky and falls into the forest. Everyone heads there. On the ground, they find a girl with golden hair. This arouses Vinpeel's suspicions, and he tries to delve deeper into the story to uncover the truth.

The book is written by Peppe Millanta, a street musician with a degree in Drama and Screenwriting from the Silvio d'Amico National Academy. Winner of numerous fiction and theater awards, in 2013 he founded the world music band "Peppe Millanta & Balkan Bistrò," with which he has performed at numerous festivals throughout Italy. In 2017, he founded the "Scuola Macondo – l'Officina delle Storie" in Pescara, dedicated to narrative arts. He has had many plans in his life, many of which, however, he hasn't even begun. "Vinpeel degli orizzonti" is his primo romanzo. A book suitable for a wide audience: from children who love to dream and gaze into the distance, to adults who have stopped dreaming and looking "elsewhere," sometimes even impossible, but which can nevertheless bring a smile. 

The narrative is in the third person. It's very simple and flowing. There's no use of complex language. The author occasionally uses invented words to make the reading more engaging, but without making it feel banal.

The story features numerous characters: Vinpeel is the protagonist, a bright boy eager to discover new things. He's the only one in the village who's friends with Doan, and the only one who can see him (everyone pretends he's invisible to avoid him). The second character we meet is Doan, a boy similar to Vinpeel, who lives in solitude but isn't bothered by the exclusion created by others. Then there's the protagonist's father, Ned Bundy. The relationship between father and son is very special: every evening, Ned goes to the beach, gazes at the horizon, and listens to the sound of the sea in the shells, hoping to hear again the story of a night that should never have ended. Vinpeel always joins him, but before approaching, he picks up a shell and recounts all his daily adventures into it, hoping his father will collect those shells and listen to his son's words, which he has never heard.

This relationship is thought-provoking: there are many family situations where communication between parents and children is very limited, and this relationship helps us realize that life is short and that every moment spent with our children, every story told, and every piece of advice given, can be of help in their future lives. 

The book is very beautiful. The chapters are short and make for a light read. In just four months since its release, the book has won numerous awards, including the "Alda Merini" Award, the "Quercia in favola" Award (for children's rights), the "La Pania" Award, and many others. These are extraordinary results for a musician's primo romanzo .

A book born from the mind of Peppe Millanta, in collaboration with the publishing house Neo Edizioni. Peppe Millanta is not the author's real name, but a pseudonym created to cover up his subversive activities during his double life at university in Rome. He has done and would like to do many things throughout his life, but one thing in particular stands out from reading the book: his desire to travel.

And it is precisely this desire to travel that pervades the narrative, which, despite being confined to a very specific and limited imaginary geographical area, is highly dynamic. Indeed, the story's protagonist is constantly moving from one part of the city where he lives, or rather, is forced to live, to another; and it is precisely this constant movement that ensures the narrative doesn't bore the reader, but rather encourages them to follow the protagonist's story with interest. 

The 251-page book is perfect for anyone with a free spirit who wants to discover the secrets our world holds. Furthermore, at €15.00, it's affordable for everyone.

Vinpeel is a boy like many others, different except for the fact that he works at the tavern in his town, Dinterbild; a town whose inhabitants have decided to forget their past and focus exclusively on the present. Here he lives with his father, a taciturn man who goes to the beach every evening, gives a bottle containing a letter to the sea, and, before returning home, searches for a shell; but not just any shell: one that tells his story. Meanwhile, the son, eager to forge a stronger bond with his father, each evening entrusts the day's experiences to a different shell, so that his father can find it and learn his own story.

One night, scanning the horizon, Vinpeel notices strange lights in the distance, similar to those of the city of Dinterbild, and becomes convinced that there is something else beyond the reality he lives in. Thus, the desire to escape from that hesitant place and reach the Elsewhere grows within him. 

He's not alone in this endeavor: he's joined by his best friend, Doan, the town madman, Krisheb, and his "girlfriend," Mune. Together, they devise a plan to escape the city, which involves flying away in a hot air balloon. Everything is organized down to the smallest detail, but just when the plan seems to fail, and all the townspeople see Vinpeel as mad, a small miracle occurs: the boy's story has reached the ears and hearts of his father, who decides to support his son in his plan. Not only that, but thanks to the evenings spent on the beach, he has managed to find the story of every townspeople and return it to their rightful owner. Thus, each townsperson grows in their hearts a desire to relive the happiness and life they once lived. 

Everyone flees the city except two people: the innkeeper, Mr. Biton, who has long since accepted his past, and Vinpeel's father who, seeing his son for the last time, dedicates a final letter to the sea, in which three words are reported: Vinpeel of the horizons.

The atmosphere in which the story unfolds is calm and peaceful, partly due to the size of the setting; yet at the same time, it's quite dynamic due to the constant changes in setting. The religious climate that emerges from the first part of the story is also very strong.

The protagonists of the story are children, who, despite their age, behave like true adults. Furthermore, the language used by the protagonists themselves is very colloquial, making it easy to follow and understand. The author uses dialogue predominantly, which is another element that makes the narrative more fluid and less burdensome.

The themes addressed are adventure, that is, the search for what lies beyond Dinterbild; love, which develops between Mune, a beautiful little girl, and Vinpeel; and friendship, which despite its moments of weakness, remains a strong bond that binds Vinpeel, Mune, and Doan.  

The book is quite engaging, thanks in part to the ease of the language and the fluidity of the narrative; the characters are well-defined and characterized, and the description of the place they find themselves living in, and from which they want to escape, is well-conceived.  

The book is highly recommended for those who wish to discover the world and travel, as it conveys the message that there is no obstacle that cannot be overcome if one truly wants to achieve one's goals. 

The only thing that could be criticized about the book is the fact that, towards the end, some narrative sections were inserted that could have been better integrated with the rest of the narrative or partially omitted, as they were references to the past that interrupt the flow of the present narrative.

In October 2018, the author Peppe Millanta published his primo romanzo “Vinpeel degli Orizzonti” with the publishing house Neo Edizioni. 

Vinpeel of the Horizons is a novel of imagination. The reader immerses himself in a small village, Dinterbild, that seems suspended in time. The inhabitants know each other and are immersed in their daily lives. The only one who sees outside the box is Vinpeel. He is the only boy in the community and embarks on a journey with the few others still capable of dreaming, to seek what lies beyond that suspended world.

Vinpeel, the only boy left in the town of Dinterbild, spends his afternoons on the hill with his imaginary friend Doan, shaping clouds. They become convinced that beyond the sky lies a new world: the Otherworld. So they secretly begin experiments to reach it. However, they cannot reveal their intentions, not even to Vinpeel's father because they are not on good terms, and if he had revealed it to his fellow citizens, he would have been considered mad.

One day, Mune, a young girl incapable of recognizing emotions, "rains" from the sky. Vinpeel begins to help her and in return asks for her help with his project. Their adventure begins thanks to an observation he makes while the boy is working at the "Locanba Biton.". 

They decide to create a huge hot air balloon to reach the Elsewhere on the evening of the Blackbird's patronal feast. That evening, they would be able to launch the balloon from the bonfire lit in the square. Despite the skepticism of those present, Vinpeel and his friends manage to enlist the community's help, partly because Vinpeel's father had convinced them, restoring their hope for a new world beyond Dinterbild. All the residents, except Vinpeel's father and Mr. Biton, thus manage to take flight towards the Elsewhere.

The themes the author explores in the book are primarily hope, the kind that allows dreams to come true, like Vinpeel's hope of reaching a new world where everyone can use their imagination and experience emotions. The episode in which Vinpeel helps Mune with his emotions is particularly significant as a symbol of altruism. Equally important is the idea, expressed in the finale, of cooperation and mutual aid among all members of the community, who no longer see Vinpeel as a "crazy" person but try to help him achieve his dream. 

The author's style is descriptive and verging on poetic. He uses numerous onomatopoeias to better convey the setting in which the events unfold. 

The fast-paced narrative and rather simple vocabulary make the book very easy to read. 

The book's rating is highly personal and subjective. The conclusion lacks a sort of epilogue that summarizes the story and explains how events unfolded.

The story is clear from the title: it's about Vinpeel, a young boy who lives in the town of Dinterbild, where his small community lives. The story revolves around his adventures with his friend Doan, whom no one can see because he's imaginary, and whom the town's adults try to convince him not to associate with. Especially the town's pastor, who is one of the first characters introduced to us, right after Vinpeel's father, Ned Bundy. 

Vinpeel performs odd jobs for Mr. Biton, the owner of Dinterbild's only inn, whose menu features only one dish: his delicious soup. The author gives us a good idea of ​​the characters who inhabit Dinterbild, describing them as they converse in the inn, and also introduces us to Dorothy, the inn's pig, beloved by all the townspeople.

The sea is an essential element of the novel. Because Dinterbild is not a normal town, but is located on an island completely surrounded by sea and far from the mainland. So much so that no one ever returns. But some do arrive, like Ned Bundy and Vinpeel for example. Or Mune, a young blonde girl, who appears in Dinterbild like a ray of light in the middle of the night, shaking everyone up with her sudden appearance. Even Vinpeel is shocked, or rather "in love."<Il mare che prende e riporta indietro> " as the village fool used to say.

The main story alternates with short stories that will sooner or later play a part in the story.

The most important characters are Vinpeel (the ever-curious and active protagonist), Doan (his imaginary friend, whom no one but Vinpeel can see), Mune, and the village madman; constantly searching for his missing moment in the clouds), then there's Mune (who shocks Vinpeel from his arrival and who later helps him achieve his goal), and Ned Bundy (the father with whom Vinpeel can't find a way to communicate, searching for the shell on the beach that carries the message from his beloved). It is they who, together with the village madman, will convince the whole of Dinterbild to try to reach "The Elsewhere" to rebuild their lives and get a second chance. 

I have to say it's beautiful. The book is really cute, you can tell the author knows how to write, and quite well at that. There are some techniques he may not have mastered perfectly yet, but he's still very good at it. Plus, the book is enthralling, quite a bit. It's not sad or melancholic, but the story captures you and draws you in until the book finally reads itself.

The story we're told revolves around the protagonist Vinpeel, his friends, his acquaintances, his family, but above all, the city where all these characters reside: Dinterbild. This place is described as accessible only to those who have found themselves "lost" at some point in their life, disillusioned by some past event. Once you enter Dinterbild, however, it's impossible to leave, or at least that's what every citizen thinks. The days are so bleak and the people so unambitious that everyone slowly begins to forget why they're there. The only one who hasn't lost his dream is Vinpeel, who, along with his friend Doan, tries everything he can to find a way out of that godforsaken place. Not even the protagonist's father is of any help: always on the beach, collecting shells left on the shore by the low tide to listen to the sounds within, no longer caring about his son. Besides being a dreamer by hobby, Vinpeel is also a delivery man by profession. The "Locanba Biton" is the best and only pub in town serving the special Biton soup cooked by Mr. Biton, who, by the way, is also Vinpeel's boss. Among other strange yet somehow interesting characters, the days in town pass more and more slowly until something truly unexpected happens. A newcomer catches the protagonist's attention, falling from the sky like a shooting star. It's Mune, who despite being the same age as Vinpeel, is unable to experience emotions as she should. The bond between the two, at first distant, becomes increasingly intimate until, together with Doan, they find a way to escape Dinterbild, saving not only themselves but also all the other inhabitants.

Although I often used long sentences in the plot I described previously, Beppe Millata's writing style is actually quite simple. The uncomplicated sentences make the book well-suited to an audience of all ages. The descriptive sections also stand out because they are told directly by the protagonist in the first person. These are interspersed with dialogues between very different characters, each with very different personalities. The narrative style is not very linear, as the author frequently uses flashbacks and events concerning the city and its inhabitants, narrated by Vinpeel. Overall, however, the narrative thread remains consistent.

The story's genre could easily be described as a cross between realism and fantasy, because in addition to the story taking place in Dinterbild, another story is described in the real world, complete with specific dates and locations. This choice obviously leaves the reader torn between believing the universe is fantastical, realistic, or that the story is simply a great metaphor for everyone's dreams, concealing a more difficult-to-understand meaning.

I give the plot a 7/10 because even if it is well described, personally it is not my genre and I find it boring and unexciting in some parts.

The story tells of the city of Dinterbild, a place only those who are lost can reach. A city where those who arrive forget what brought them there. The characters revolve around the "Locanba Biton," where the special Biton soup is served. The main character is a young boy named Vinpeel. Beside him is Doan, an imaginary friend, or alter ego. He is undoubtedly Vinpeel's only companion, the only person he can talk to and fantasize about.

He's a boy who lost a moment. He's convinced that people have all their moments lined up, one after the other, and then suddenly he lost one. And since then his life has stopped. For this reason, he searches frantically for that moment, because he's convinced his life can no longer go on without it. Doan is perhaps the symbol of the entire narrative. He especially sets the tone of this story. But their greatest and most important task is to manage to leave Dinterbild because, despite the town's inhabitants continuing to say that there is nothing outside Dinterbild, the two of them are convinced that there is somewhere else, and the lights they see across the sea are proof of this.

When Mune, a young girl with beautiful blond hair, appears in town, Vinpeel understands that it is time to get serious, it is time to leave the city and, however much it costs him, leave his father who spends his days writing messages to put in bottles and throw into the sea and collecting shells.